Helminths of brown bears (Ursus arctos) in the Kola Peninsula

Abstract

We present data on the species composition of helminths in brown bears (Ursus arctos) from the Murmansk Region, Russia. The absence of any information about helminths of brown bear in the region necessitated the conduct of these studies. Samples were collected in 2014 and 2015 in the southern part of the Kola Peninsula from the White Sea coastal habitats. Annually, in the study area, 1-3 bears are legally hunted and biological samples for examination are very difficult to obtain. Therefore, we used fecal samples. We studied 93 feces and identified parasite eggs identified in 43 of them by morphometric criteria. The surveys revealed eggs of the following helminths: Dicrocoelium sp., Diphyllobothrium sp., Anoplocephalidae, Capillariidae, Baylisascaris sp., Strongylida 1, and Strongylida 2. These results represent the first reconnaissance stage, which allowed characterizing the taxonomic diversity and prevalence of parasites of brown bears of the Kola Peninsula.

A modified method for molecular identification of Baylisascaris transfuga in European brown bears (Ursus arctos)

“…Diagnosis of a B. transfuga infestation in bears commonly relies on the retrieval of eggs by conventional faecal flotation analysis (Finnegan 2009 ; De Ambrogi et al 2011 ; Catalano et al 2015 ; Bugmyrin et al 2017 ). The eggs can be easily recognised; therefore, detection of the eggs by microscopy after flotation seems to be easy for the observer, except that the eggs of B. transfuga cannot be distinguished from those of other ascarids (Kazacos and Turek 1983 ).…”

“…The eggs can be easily recognised; therefore, detection of the eggs by microscopy after flotation seems to be easy for the observer, except that the eggs of B. transfuga cannot be distinguished from those of other ascarids (Kazacos and Turek 1983 ). The sensitivity of faecal flotation techniques may be limited for B. transfuga , particularly due to its long prepatent period, negative results with even a high-intensity intestinal infection (Testini et al 2011 ) and seasonal trends in the prevalence of B. transfuga in bears (Bugmyrin et al 2017 ; Sapp et al 2017 ). De Ambrogi et al ( 2011 ) showed that the sensitivity of flotation for B. transfuga eggs was 60%, with mixed results when flotation was repeated several times with the same samples.…”

“…A recent survey in the eastern part of the Scandinavian Peninsula (the Kola Peninsula, Russia) revealed Baylisascaris sp. eggs in 37.6% of brown bears (Bugmyrin et al 2017 ). In the studies of Finnegan ( 2009 ) and Bugmyrin et al ( 2017 ), the eggs detected in the samples were not identified by molecular assays and therefore probably belong to Baylisascaris transfuga .…”

“…eggs in 37.6% of brown bears (Bugmyrin et al 2017 ). In the studies of Finnegan ( 2009 ) and Bugmyrin et al ( 2017 ), the eggs detected in the samples were not identified by molecular assays and therefore probably belong to Baylisascaris transfuga . A study in Canada (Alberta and British Columbia) found the total prevalence of B. transfuga in the intestine of American black bears to be 60% (with 42.9% in cubs, 73.7% in juveniles and 50% in adults), while the prevalence was 53.8% in juvenile and adult grizzly bears (Catalano et al 2015 ).…”

“…It has been reported worldwide in all extant species of bears in the family Ursidae, excluding the spectacled bear (Sapp et al 2017 ). B. transfuga occurs in both free-ranging and captive bears, such as the polar bear (Schaul 2006 ; Testini et al 2011 ), American black bear (Duffy et al 1994 ; Schaul 2006 ; Foster et al 2004 ; Catalano et al 2015 ), grizzly bear (Catalano et al 2015 ), sloth bear (Moudgil et al 2014 ) and European brown bear (Finnegan 2009 ; De Ambrogi et al 2011 ; Szczepaniak et al 2012 ; Bauer 2013 ; Aghazadeh et al 2015 ; Bugmyrin et al 2017 ).…”