Studies of disease in the Red fox (<i>Vulpes vulpes</i>) in Northern Ireland

Ross, J. G.; Fairley, J. S.

doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1969.tb01708.x

Cited by 25 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…and R. turanicus ) and I. ventalloi [19, 22, 36–39]. Further north, in regions with climate determined by the Atlantic Ocean, the tick fauna of foxes includes almost exclusively I. canisuga , I. hexagonus and I. ricinus [21, 40]. In central Europe, Haemaphysalis concinna and D. reticulatus appear complementary to these three [18, 25, 26, 41, 42].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mesocarnivores and macroparasites: altitude and land use predict the ticks occurring on red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)

et al. 2017

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BackgroundThe red fox Vulpes vulpes is the most common mesocarnivore in Europe and with a wide geographical distribution and a high density in most terrestrial habitats of the continent. It is fast urbanising species, which can harbor high numbers of different tick species, depending on the region. Here we present the results of a large-scale study, trying to disentangle the intricate relationship between environmental factors and the species composition of ectoparasites in red foxes. The samples were collected in Transylvania (Romania), a region with a diverse geography and high biodiversity. The dead foxes (collected primarily through the National Surveillance Rabies Program) were examined carefully for the presence of ticks.ResultsTicks (n = 4578) were found on 158 foxes (out of 293 examined; 53.9%). Four species were identified: Dermacentor marginatus, Ixodes canisuga, I. hexagonus and I. ricinus. The most common tick species was I. hexagonus (mean prevalence 37.5%, mean intensity 32.2), followed by I. ricinus (15.0%; 4.86), I. canisuga (4.8%; 7.71) and D. marginatus (3.7%; 3.45). Co-occurrence of two or more tick species on the same host was relatively common (12.6%), the most common co-occurrence being I. hexagonus - I. ricinus. For D. marginatus and I. canisuga the highest prevalence was recorded in lowlands, for I. hexagonus in hilly areas, while for I. ricinus in mountains.ConclusionsAltitude influenced the intensity of parasitism, with highest intensity observed for all Ixodes species in hilly areas. Dermacentor marginatus occurred only in lowlands, I. canisuga in lowlands and hilly areas while the other two species occurred in all of the regions studied. Foxes from lower altitudes had the most tick species associated, with most incidences of co-parasitism also recorded here. Land use affected tick-species composition, with the presence of D. marginatus strongly associated with the extension of arable areas and lack of forests. The presence of I. hexagonus was determined only by the extent of arable lands. As foxes are frontrunners of wildlife urbanization process, with a continuous increase of their numbers in urban areas, the knowledge of their ticks’ ecology (and the pathogens vectored by these) is of utmost importance.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mesocarnivores and macroparasites: altitude and land use predict the ticks occurring on red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)

et al. 2017

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“…As both badgers and foxes are found in Ireland ( Montgomery et al., 2014 ), either or both of these species may act as the definitive host for T. martis enabling its establishment in Ireland. To date T. martis has not been recorded in general parasitological surveys of foxes and badgers ( Ross and Fairley, 1969 , Stuart et al., 2013 ) though in Wolfe et al. (2001) the Taenia recovered were too degraded to identify to species level.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reduced helminth parasitism in the introduced bank vole ( Myodes glareolus ): More parasites lost than gained

Loxton

Lawton

Stafford

et al. 2016

International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife

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Introduced species are often less parasitised compared to their native counterparts and to ecologically similar hosts in the new environment. Reduced parasitism may come about due to both the loss of original parasites and low acquisition of novel parasites. In this study we investigated the intestinal helminth parasites of the introduced bank vole (Myodes glareolus) in Ireland. Results were compared to data from other European studies and to the intestinal helminth fauna of an ecologically similar native rodent in Ireland, the wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus). The helminth fauna of introduced bank voles exhibited low diversity with only 3 species recovered: Aspiculuris tianjinensis; Aonchotheca murissylvatici and Taenia martis larvae. In particular, no adult parasites with indirect life-cycles were found in bank voles suggesting that indirectly transmitted parasites are less likely to establish in invasive hosts. Also, the results of this study add support to the enemy release hypothesis.

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“…Aubert & Beaucournu (1976) recorded peaks of abundance of hedgehog fleas on foxes in August and October, but suggested that changes in the average number of fleas on hedgehogs explained these observations. Ross & Fairley (1969) concluded that the species composition of fleas from foxes in Northern Ireland reflected the hosts' food habits, but this was not observed to be the case for suburban foxes. The most important prey item was birds, yet not a single bird flea was recorded.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

The flea epifauna of a suburban fox (Vulpes vulpes) population

Buckle

Harris

1980

Journal of Zoology

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Five hundred and thirteen fleas, of eight different species, were collected from a sample of 252 foxes killed in suburban London. 25–8% of foxes carried fleas, with a mean of 204 fleas per fox. Levels of infestation of male and female hosts did not differ significantly. Possible sources of the fleas infesting foxes are discussed with respect to their seasonal occurrence and fox prey composition. No evidence was found to support the suggestion that foxes obtain the majority of their fleas from prey items, although occasional heavy infestations of some flea species were probably derived from recent meals. Although Pulex irritans, Paraceras m. melis and Ctenocephalides canis, which contributed 35 % of the flea epifauna, could be considered parasitic on the fox, it seems probable that foxes pick up the majority of their fleas from the habitat through which they move. Thus, two particularly heavily infested categories of foxes were found: (1) juveniles during July‐September, their fleas probably being accumulated during exploratory and play activities, and (2) all animals during the period October‐December.

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Studies of disease in the Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in Northern Ireland

Cited by 25 publications

References 7 publications

Mesocarnivores and macroparasites: altitude and land use predict the ticks occurring on red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)

Mesocarnivores and macroparasites: altitude and land use predict the ticks occurring on red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)

Reduced helminth parasitism in the introduced bank vole ( Myodes glareolus ): More parasites lost than gained

The flea epifauna of a suburban fox (Vulpes vulpes) population

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