In a BugBitten blog post, HilaryHurd discusses the possible transmission of T.gondii parasite infection from cougars to wolves in Yellowstone National Park in the US and the behavioral changes seen in wolves following the infection.
A gray wolf in Yellowstone National Park Attribution: Doug Smith, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsThe gray wolves of Yellow Stone National Park became locally extinct when the last one was killed in 1926. They were not reintroduced until 1973, following campaigns by biologists and conservationists. The remarkable story of the consequences of their reintroduction and the subsequent recovery of the park ecosystems is well know.
Following ingestion by the intermediate host, the parasite multiplies in the cells of the intestinal lining then moves via the blood stream to encyst in the tissues, including the brain. The infection was not detected in wolves prior to 1999, with the first seropositive sample found in 2000. Thereafter, four- or 5-year sampling periods yielded an increase from 24.5% seropositive to 36.5% by the period up to 2020.To determine whether the presence of cougars affected the likelihood of wolf packs in these areas being seropositive, the researchers divided the Park into low, medium, and high areas with respect to cougar density.
The chance of a seropositive wolf becoming a pack leader was more than 46 times higher than a seronegative wolf and this effect increased with time. This possibly reflects the increased aggressiveness and assertiveness required to become leader of a pack.
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