Parasitic infection increases risk-taking in a social, intermediate host carnivore
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Item Metadata
Dublin Core
Title
Parasitic infection increases risk-taking in a social, intermediate host carnivore
Description
Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite capable of infecting any warm-blooded species and can increase risk-taking in intermediate hosts. Despite extensive laboratory research on the effects of T. gondii infection on behaviour, little is understood about the effects of toxoplasmosis on wild intermediate host behavior. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA, has a diverse carnivore community including gray wolves (Canis lupus) and cougars (Puma concolor), intermediate and definitive hosts of T. gondii, respectively. Here, we used 26 years of wolf behavioural, spatial, and serological data to show that wolf territory overlap with areas of high cougar density was an important predictor of infection. In addition, seropositive wolves were more likely to make high-risk decisions such as dispersing and becoming a pack leader, both factors critical to individual fitness and wolf vital rates. Due to the social hierarchy within a wolf pack, we hypothesize that the behavioural effects of toxoplasmosis may create a feedback loop that increases spatial overlap and disease transmission between wolves and cougars. These findings demonstrate that parasites have important implications for intermediate hosts, beyond acute infections, through behavioural impacts. Particularly in a social species, these impacts can surge beyond individuals to affect groups, populations, and even ecosystem processes.
Bibliographic Citation
Meyer, C. J., K. A. Cassidy, E. E. Stahler, E.E. Brandell, C. B. Anton, D. R. Stahler, and D. W. Smith 2022. Parasitic infection increases risk-taking in a social, intermediate host carnivore. Communications Biology 5:1–10; doi.org/10.1038/s42003-022-04122-0
Creator
Meyer, Connor J.
Cassidy, Kira A.
Stahler, Erin E.
Brandell, Ellen E.
Anton, Colby B.
Stahler, Daniel R.
Smith, Douglas W.
Subject
Parasitic infections
Toxoplasma gondii
Wolf
Cougar
Extent
10 pages
Rights
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Type
Article
Format
application/pdf
Language
English
Is Part Of
Communications Biology
Date Accepted
2022-10-17
Date Issued
2022-11-24
Date Submitted
2021-11-24
Collection
Citation
Meyer, Connor J.
et al., “Parasitic infection increases risk-taking in a social, intermediate host carnivore,” CPW Digital Collections, accessed April 18, 2024, https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/items/show/378.