Molecular and morphological characterization of Echinococcus in cervids from North America.

Many issues concerning the taxonomy of Echinococcus have been resolved in recent years with the application of molecular tools. However, the status of Echinococcus maintained in transmission cycles involving cervid intermediate hosts remains to be determined. The recent characterization of the parasite from cervids in Finland has highlighted the paucity of data available, particularly that from North America. In this study, we have characterized a large number of Echinococcus isolates from cervids from Western Canada on the basis of morphology and molecular genetic techniques. Our results support earlier studies suggesting that Echinococcus of cervid origin is phenotypically and genetically distinct to Echinococcus maintained in domestic host assemblages, and also confirms that Echinococcus of cervid origin does not constitute a genetically homogeneous group. However, our data do not support the existence of 2 distinct genotypes (strains/subspecies) with separate geographical distributions. Our data appear to support the existence of only 1 species in cervids, but additional isolates from cervids and wolves in other endemic regions should be characterized before a final decision is made on the taxonomic status of Echinococcus in cervids.

Antibodies to selected pathogens in free-ranging terrestrial carnivores and marine mammals in Canada.

Antibody titres to selected pathogens (canine adenovirus [CAV-2], feline herpesvirus [FHV], phocine herpesvirus [PHV-1], canine distemper virus, dolphin morbillivirus [DMV], phocine distemper virus [PDV], parainfluenza virus type 3 [PI3], rabies virus, dolphin rhabdovirus [DRV], canine coronavirus, feline coronavirus, feline leukaemia virus, Borrelia burgdorferi and Toxoplasma gondii) were determined in whole blood or serum samples from selected free-ranging terrestrial carnivores and marine mammals, including cougars (Fellis concolor), lynxes (Fellis lynx), American badgers (Taxidea taxus), fishers (Martes pennanti), wolverines (Gulo gulo), wolves (Canis lupus), black bears (Ursus americanus), grizzly bears (Ursus arctos), polar bears (Ursus maritimus), walruses (Odobenus rosmarus) and belugas (Delphinapterus leucas), which had been collected at several locations in Canada between 1984 and 2001. Antibodies to a number of viruses were detected in species in which these infections have not been reported before, for example, antibodies to CAV-2 in walruses, to PDV in black bears, grizzly bears, polar bears, lynxes and wolves, to DMV in grizzly bears, polar bears, walruses and wolves, to PI3 in black bears and fishers, and to DRV in belugas and walruses.

Treatment of hypoxemia during xylazine-tiletamine-zolazepam immobilization of wapiti.

Hypoxemia is a commonly observed complication during the chemical immobilization of wild ruminants. If severe and left untreated, it can predispose animals to arrhythmias, organ failure, and capture myopathy. The following prospective study was designed to measure the degree of hypoxemia in wapiti that were immobilized with a combination of xylazine and tiletamine-zolazepam and to assess the response to nasal oxygen therapy. Pulse oximetry and arterial blood gas analysis were used to assess the degree of hypoxemia prior to nasal insufflation of oxygen and to demonstrate any beneficial effects of this intervention. All wapiti exhibited mild to marked hypoxemia (PaO2 = 43 +/- 11.8 mmHg) prior to treatment and showed marked improvement after 5 minutes of nasal insufflation of oxygen at 10 L/min (PaO2 = 207 +/- 60 mmHg). This inexpensive, noninvasive technique has great benefit in treating clinical hypoxemia under field conditions, and we recommend that nasal insufflation of oxygen be implemented during xylazine-tiletamine-zolazepam-induced immobilization of wapiti and other wild ruminants.