Mitigating disease risk in an endangered pinniped: early hookworm elimination optimizes the growth and health of Australian sea lion pups

Frontiers in Veterinary Science

Veterinary Science

Charles G. B. Caraguel¹  Mariel Fulham²  Rachael Gray²  Scott A. Lindsay³ 

[1] Faculty of Science, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, SA, Australia;Faculty of Science, Sydney School of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia;Faculty of Science, Sydney School of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia;Faculty of Science, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, SA, Australia;

关键词: Australian sea lion;    growth;    hematology;    hookworm;    ivermectin;    Neophoca cinerea;    otariid;    Uncinaria sanguinis;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fvets.2023.1161185

 received in 2023-02-10, accepted in 2023-04-04,  发布年份 2023

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

The Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea) experiences high pup mortality of seasonally alternating severity, partly attributed to endemic hookworm (Uncinaria sanguinis) infection. To further explore health outcomes of early hookworm elimination, a treatment trial was conducted at Seal Bay Conservation Park, South Australia, over consecutive lower and higher mortality breeding seasons (2019, 19.2%; 2020–1; 28.9%). Pups (n = 322) were stratified into two age cohorts (median 14 d and 24 d recruitment ages) and randomly assigned to treated (topical ivermectin 500  μg/kg) or control (untreated) groups. A younger prepatent cohort <14 d old (median 10 d) was identified a posteriori. A seasonally independent growth benefit resulted from hookworm elimination across all age cohorts. The greatest relative improvements (bodyweight + 34.2%, standard length + 42.1%; p ≤ 0.001) occurred in the month post-treatment, in the youngest prepatent cohort. A significant benefit of lesser magnitude (bodyweight + 8.6–11.6%, standard length + 9.5–18.4%; p ≤ 0.033) persisted up to 3  months across all age cohorts – greatest in the youngest pups. Treatment resulted in immediate improvement in hematological measures of health – decreased anemia and inflammation severity (p ≤ 0.012). These results enhance our understanding of host–parasite–environment interactions within the context of hematological ontogenesis, confirm the seasonally independent benefits of hookworm disease intervention, and further inform conservation recommendations for this endangered species.

【 授权许可】

Unknown   
Copyright © 2023 Lindsay, Fulham, Caraguel and Gray.