Bighorn Sheep Abortion Caused by Common Cat Parasite

toxoplasma gondii, Parasite common to domestic and wild cats that causes abortions in wild bighorn sheep, suggesting an underestimated cause of reproductive loss

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A recent study published by a team of researchers in Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at (WADDL) Washington State University (WSU) found that not only domestic cats, but common parasites spread by domestic cats cause abortion in wild bighorn sheep. parasite, toxoplasma gondiican infect most warm-blooded animals, including birds, rodents and even humans.

It has long been known that parasites cause abortion (abortion) and increased mortality in newborns and young lambs in domestic sheep. But in a recent study, a team of researchers documented her five cases of wild bighorn sheep.

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“We have seen toxoplasma Abortion due to toxoplasmosis is fairly common in domestic sheep, but no toxoplasmosis has yet been seen in bighorn sheep. WSU School of Veterinary Medicine. “Unfortunately, it seems to cause abortions and some deaths in young bighorn sheep.”

Upon detection of this infection in bighorn sheep, canadian canadian sheepis extremely rare and was only reported in 2000 in juveniles in the Hells Canyon area of ​​Washington (reference).

More than 40 million Americans, and at least one-third of all humans worldwide, are believed to be infected. toxoplasma gondiiPeople with this parasitic infection are usually asymptomatic, but it can cause serious health problems in pregnant women and those with compromised immune systems. It is spread by consuming food and water contaminated with cat feces.

one of the unique characteristics of toxoplasma In some hosts, including humans and rodents, the parasite establishes chronic infections as latent tissue cysts in the brain, heart, and skeletal muscle. A serious brain infection does not appear to be harmful to the host’s life as long as the host’s immune system is functioning normally. See here. reference)

State wildlife services typically work with academic researchers to monitor the cause of death in bighorn sheep, and this is how infections are discovered.

“Because bighorn sheep are susceptible to domestic sheep diseases, these institutions would regularly submit samples to see how many were lost to other diseases,” Dr Fisk said. “Abortions due to toxoplasmosis were discovered during the processing of these samples,” it said in a statement.

The researchers performed necropsy, microscopic examination of tissue, and other data from eight fetal or neonatal bighorn sheep collected in Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, and Washington between March 2019 and May 2021. , and other tests to determine the cause of the miscarriage or death. Toxoplasmosis.

“They were plagued with these parasites, so I was pretty sure that was the reason behind their deaths, given how extensive the damage was,” Dr. Fisk explained.

Unfortunately, toxoplasmosis is incurable. Additionally, there is concern that infected lambs that survive the initial onslaught are still weak and susceptible to other diseases, as was previously seen with Hell’s Canyon hatchlings (reference), and to predation.

“For example, if you look at an infected person, toxoplasma intrauterineThey may have blindness or other problems,” says Dr. Fisk. “However, it is not yet known whether the bighorn sheep are being affected on an ongoing basis. intrauterine Infection.

But where do bighorn sheep get this infection?

Given that bobcats and cougars share range with bighorn sheep, and that the only known definitive host is the bighorn sheep, toxoplasma gondii Being domestic cats and their relatives, it is possible that these feral cats spread the parasite to bighorn sheep. However, domestic cats can also cause toxoplasmosis in bighorn sheep.

“It’s unclear at this time how prevalent this problem is, as we’ve only detected five positives, which is a very small sample in the big picture,” said Dr. Fisk. increase. “More research is needed to learn more about how big a problem this is or where it’s originating from.”

That said, studies of free-ranging bighorn lamb mortality can be very difficult because of the rugged terrain in which wild bighorn sheep give birth and raise their lambs. As a result, newborn lamb deaths are often overlooked.

sauce:

Ellis A. Fisk, E. Frances Cassirer, Katie S. Hagler, Alan P. Pescier, Laura A. White, Joshua D. Ramsay, Elizabeth W. Goldsmith, Holly R. Druncan, Rebecca Woking M., Keziah R. Manrob, Todd Nordine, John T. Hogg, Kyle R. Taylor (2023). abortion and neonatal mortality due to toxoplasma gondii bighorn sheep (canadian sheep), Journal of Wildlife Diseases | | doi:10.7589/JWD-D-22-00057

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