Assessing risks of toxoplasmosis in wildlife in the canadian north

人们对野生动物疾病（如禽流感）的出现所带来的风险的认识达到了前所未有的高度，但往往缺乏评估这些风险的科学依据。因此，我的研究计划的目标是建立一个强大的科学基础，以评估和减轻新兴的野生动物疾病，如弓形虫病，这可能是引进和维持在陆地北极的迁徙野生动物所带来的风险。弓形虫病在加拿大北部尤其重要，那里的因纽特人感染弓形虫病的比例是北美的三倍。此外，北方和土著加拿大人一般有免疫妥协的疾病，可能导致临床和先天性弓形虫病的发病率较高的利率上升。 弓形虫病也可能导致死亡率和减少繁殖成功的北方野生动物重要的土著和北方加拿大人的收获，社会经济和文化的原因。因此，我的计划将解决：1）迁徙野生动物作为疾病引入和传播的机制有多重要？使用多种免疫学和分子技术，我将确定多样性和弓形虫病的传播动力学在迁徙和居住的野生动物在北方，并比较这与野生动物，家畜，和其他地方的人。2)什么样的生活史策略使寄生虫能够在恶劣的环境中成功建立？通过存活和感染性实验，我将确定北方野生动物中的弓形虫菌株是否具有独特的生物学特性（如耐寒性）。3)野生动物疾病在个体和种群层面上如何影响野生动物本身？对圈养野生动物进行弓形虫病的控制实验感染和现场标记重捕研究，将确定感染状态、行为、身体状况、生存和繁殖成功之间的关联。我的研究计划将提供一个重要疾病的生物学更好的理解，开发一种新的方法来检测，评估和沟通野生动物疾病的出现所带来的风险，并将有利于野生动物管理人员，公共卫生人员，以及北方和土著社区。

Awareness of the risks posed by the emergence of wildlife diseases (such as avian influenza) is at an all time high, but the scientific basis for assessing these risks is often lacking. Therefore, the objective of my research program is to develop a strong scientific foundation for assessing and mitigating the risks posed by emerging wildlife diseases, such as toxoplasmosis, which is likely introduced and maintained in the terrestrial Arctic by migratory wildlife. Toxoplasmosis is particularly important in the Canadian North, where Inuit have triple the North American rate of exposure to toxoplasmosis. As well, northern and indigenous Canadians in general have rising rates of immunocompromising diseases that may lead to higher rates of clinical and congenital toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis may also cause mortality and decreased reproductive success in northern wildlife important to indigenous and northern Canadians for harvest, socioeconomic, and cultural reasons. Therefore, my program will address: 1) How important are migratory wildlife as a mechanism for disease introduction and transmission? Using multiple immunological and molecular techniques, I will determine diversity and transmission dynamics of toxoplasmosis in migratory and resident wildlife in the North, and compare this with wildlife, domestic animals, and people elsewhere. 2) What life history strategies of parasites enable successful establishment in harsh environments? Through survival and infectivity experiments, I will determine if strains of toxoplasmosis in northern wildlife possess unique biological characteristics (such as cold tolerance). 3) How do wildlife diseases affect wildlife themselves, at the individual and population levels? Controlled experimental infection of captive wildlife with toxoplasmosis and mark-recapture studies in the field will determine associations among infection status, behavior, body condition, survival, and reproductive success. My research program will provide better understanding of the biology of an important disease, develop a novel approach to detecting, assessing, and communicating risks posed by the emergence of wildlife diseases, and will benefit wildlife managers, public health personnel, and northern and indigenous communities.