Broad Range Screening Of Vector-Borne Pathogens In Arctic Foxes (Vulpes Lagopus) In Iceland

Simple SummaryThe arctic fox is the only native terrestrial mammal in Iceland. The population comprises both "coastal" and "inland" fox ecotypes, with regard to food resources. Because of the relatively low biodiversity within arctic ecosystems and the involvement of the species in both marine and terrestrial ecosystems, the Icelandic arctic fox population could serve as sentinels for the overall ecosystem health of Iceland. After screening the samples from 60 foxes for tick-/vector-borne pathogens, this study reports the near-absence (very low prevalence) of these pathogens in Icelandic arctic foxes in 2011-2012. Taking into account the broad range of target microorganisms analyzed here, as well as the warming climate and increasing presence of the vector Ixodes ricinus in Iceland, our results will be very useful as baseline data for comparison in future monitoring of the emergence of ticks and tick-borne diseases in this country.The arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) is the only native terrestrial mammal in Iceland. While red foxes (V. vulpes) are known to be epidemiologically important carriers of several vector-borne pathogens in Europe, arctic foxes have never been evaluated in a similar context on this continent. This has become especially relevant in the last decade, considering the establishing populations of the tick species Ixodes ricinus in Iceland. In this study, liver DNA extracts of 60 arctic foxes, hunted between 2011-2012, were molecularly screened for vector-borne protozoan parasites (Trypanosomatidae, Babesia, Theileria, Hepatozoon) and bacteria (Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Rickettsia, Borrelia, hemotropic Mycoplasma). One sample was real-time qPCR positive for Anaplasma phagocytophilum, though this positivity could not be confirmed with sequencing. Samples were negative for all other tested vector-borne pathogens. Results of this study indicate that, except for A. phagocytophilum, Icelandic arctic foxes were apparently "not yet infected" with vector-borne pathogens in 2011-2012, or their infections were "below the detection limit" of applied methods. Taking into account the broad range of target microorganisms analyzed here, as well as the warming climate and increasing presence of the vector I. ricinus in Iceland, our results will be very useful as baseline data for comparison in future monitoring of the emergence of ticks and tick-borne diseases in this country.