Qualitative risk assessment of impact of Toxoplasma gondii on health of beluga whales, Delphinapterus leucas , from the Eastern Beaufort Sea, Northwest Territories

Arctic Science

article

Rajnish Sharma¹  Lisa L. Loseto²  Sonja K. Ostertag²  Matilde Tomaselli⁴  Christina M. Bredtmann⁵  Colleen Crill⁶  Cristina Rodríguez-Pinacho⁷  Dayna Schultz⁸  Dongyun Jung¹  Kshitiz Shrestha⁹  Prateek Jindal^1,10  Emily J. Jenkins¹ 

[1] Department of Microbiology, University of Saskatchewan;Freshwater Institute, 501 University Crescent;Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, 500 University Crescent;Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary;Institute of Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine;Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan;Institute of Veterinary Public Health, University of Bern;Toxicology Graduate Program, University of Saskatchewan;Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University (Bangkok) and Paul Sabatier University;School of Public Health and Zoonoses, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University

关键词: qualitative risk assessment;    Toxoplasma gondii;    beluga whales;    Delphinapterus leucas;    Beaufort Sea.;   

DOI  :  10.1139/as-2017-0037

学科分类：地球科学(综合)

来源: NRC Research Press

【 摘 要 】

In recent years, the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii has increasingly been recognized in Arctic fauna, including beluga whales ( Delphinapterus leucas ) in the Eastern Beaufort Sea (EBS), Northwest Territories. We qualitatively assessed the risks of T. gondii to the health of EBS beluga because of their importance in livelihood of Arctic communities as well as their potential role as sentinels. This risk assessment used a standard framework including hazard identification, hazard characterization, exposure assessment, and risk characterization. We conclude that currently, the EBS beluga are at moderate risk of exposure to T. gondii , and low risk of developing disease associated with toxoplasmosis, based on the small amount of data available (only healthy, hunter-harvested animals have been examined). Although there was a high level of uncertainty due to limited published data and the challenges in determining prevalence and significance of disease in wild marine mammal populations, overall the EBS population was currently considered to be at a low risk for population level impacts of toxoplasmosis. Finally, we identify knowledge gaps that can guide future research, provide better evidence for future risk assessments, and ultimately better detect and mitigate changing risks for health of Arctic beluga, as well as the communities that rely on sustainable, healthy populations for harvest.

【 授权许可】

CC BY