Fecal glucocorticoids and gastrointestinal parasite infections in wild western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) involved in ecotourism

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60077344%3A_____%2F21%3A00554952" target="_blank" >RIV/60077344:_____/21:00554952 - isvavai.cz</a>

Alternative codes found

RIV/68081766:_____/21:00544631 RIV/60460709:41210/21:88260 RIV/62157124:16170/21:43879122 RIV/00216224:14310/21:00123527

Result on the web

<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016648021001520?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" >https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016648021001520?via%3Dihub</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2021.113859" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.ygcen.2021.113859</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Fecal glucocorticoids and gastrointestinal parasite infections in wild western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) involved in ecotourism

Original language description

Wildlife ecotourism can offer a source of revenue which benefits local development and conservation simultaneously. However, habituation of wildlife for ecotourism can cause long-term elevation of glucocorticoid hormones, which may suppress immune function and increase an animal's vulnerability to disease. We have previously shown that western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) undergoing habituation in Dzanga-Sangha Protected Areas, Central African Republic, have higher fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGCM) levels than both habituated and unhabituated gorillas. Here, we tested the relationship between FGCM levels and strongylid infections in the same gorillas. If high FGCM levels suppress the immune system, we predicted that FGCM levels will be positively associated with strongylid egg counts and that gorillas undergoing habituation will have the highest strongylid egg counts, relative to both habituated and unhabituated gorillas. We collected fecal samples over 12 months in two habituated gorilla groups, one group undergoing habituation and completely unhabituated gorillas. We established FGCM levels and fecal egg counts of Necator/Oesophagostomum spp. and Mammomonogamus sp. Controlling for seasonal variation and age-sex category in strongylid infections we found no significant relationship between FGCMs and Nectator/Oesophagostomum spp. or Mammomonogamus sp. egg counts in a within group comparison in either a habituated group or a group undergoing habituation. However, across groups, egg counts of Nectator/Oesophagostomum spp. were lowest in unhabituated animals and highest in the group undergoing habituation, matching the differences in FGCM levels among these gorilla groups. Our findings partially support the hypothesis that elevated glucocorticoids reduce a host's ability to control the extent of parasitic infections, and show the importance of non-invasive monitoring of endocrine function and parasite infection in individuals exposed to human pressure including habituation process and ecotourism.

Czech name

—

Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

40301 - Veterinary science

Project

<a href="/en/project/GA18-24345S" target="_blank" >GA18-24345S: Epidemiology and pathological effects of gastrointestinal helminthiases in critically endangered mountain gorillas</a><br>

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2021

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

General and Comparative Endocrinology

ISSN

0016-6480

e-ISSN

1095-6840

Volume of the periodical

312

Issue of the periodical within the volume

OCT 1 2021

Country of publishing house

US - UNITED STATES

Number of pages

7

Pages from-to

113859

UT code for WoS article

000686348000006

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85111483732