Inter-annual differences in the age-related prevalences of Babesia and Trypanosoma parasites of European badgers (Meles meles)

Citation
Dw. Macdonald et al., Inter-annual differences in the age-related prevalences of Babesia and Trypanosoma parasites of European badgers (Meles meles), J ZOOL, 247, 1999, pp. 65-70
Citations number
29
Categorie Soggetti
Animal Sciences
Journal title
JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
ISSN journal
09528369 → ACNP
Volume
247
Year of publication
1999
Part
1
Pages
65 - 70
Database
ISI
SICI code
0952-8369(199901)247:<65:IDITAP>2.0.ZU;2-J
Abstract
A total of 263 individual badgers Meles meles provided 718 blood samples wh ich were screened for parasites. This revealed that 77.2% of individuals te sted positive for Babesia missirolii at least once over 3 years, whereas 7. 7% did so for Trypanosoma pestanai. However, the prevalence was highest in younger age classes, except in 1990 when it was high in most categories. Th ere was some evidence that following a positive test for Babesia badgers we re more likely to be caught again in subsequent years when compared to indi viduals testing negative. For Trypanosoma, although prevalence decreased fr om a peak of 29.2% from June onwards in 1990, we found no significant corol laries of infection. These results are discussed in the light of inter-annu al variation in weather and other factors.