Rates of seropositivity for Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in polar bears and marine mammals around Svalbard ...

• Main Authors: Jensen, S K, Aars, Jon, Lydersen, Christian, Kovacs, Kit Maureen, Åsbakk, K
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 2010
• Subjects: Biological sample; International Polar Year 2007-2008 IPY; bearded seal; Delphinapterus leucas; Erignathus barbatus; International Polar Year; IPY; Monodon monoceros; narwhal*; Phoca vitulina; Pusa hispida; Svalbard; Ursus maritimus
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.1594/pangaea.811596; https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.811596

Little is known about the prevalence of the parasite Toxoplasma gondii in the arctic marine food chain of Svalbard, Norway. In this study, plasma samples were analyzed for T. gondii antibodies using a direct agglutination test. Antibody prevalence was 45.6% among polar bears (Ursus maritimus), 18.7% among ringed seals (Pusa hispida) and 66.7% among adult bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus) from Svalbard, but no sign of antibodies were found in bearded seal pups, harbour seals (Phoca vitulina), white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) or narwhals (Monodon monoceros) from the same area. Prevalence was significantly higher in male polar bears (52.3%) compared with females (39.3%), likely due to dietary differences between the sexes. Compared to an earlier study, T. gondii prevalence in polar bears has doubled in the past decade. Consistently, an earlier study on ringed seals did not detect T. gondii. The high recent prevalence in polar bears, ringed seals and bearded seals could be caused by an increase in the ... : Data extracted in the frame of a joint ICSTI/PANGAEA IPY effort, see http://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.150150 ...