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climate and the individual: inter-annual variation in the autumnal activity of the european badger (meles meles).we establish intra-individual and inter-annual variability in european badger (meles meles) autumnal nightly activity in relation to fine-scale climatic variables, using tri-axial accelerometry. this contributes further to understanding of causality in the established interaction between weather conditions and population dynamics in this species. modelling found that measures of daylight, rain/humidity, and soil temperature were the most supported predictors of activity, in both years studied. i ...201424465376
"reversed" intraguild predation: red fox cubs killed by pine marten.camera traps deployed at a badger meles meles set in mixed pine forest in north-eastern poland recorded interspecific killing of red fox vulpes vulpes cubs by pine marten martes martes. the vixen and her cubs settled in the set at the beginning of may 2013, and it was abandoned by the badgers shortly afterwards. five fox cubs were recorded playing in front of the den each night. ten days after the first recording of the foxes, a pine marten was filmed at the set; it arrived in the morning, made ...201424954928
the taxonomic status of badgers (mammalia, mustelidae) from southwest asia based on cranial morphometrics, with the redescription of meles canescens.the eurasian badgers (meles spp.) are widespread in the palaearctic region, occurring from the british islands in the west to the japanese islands in the east, including the scandinavia, southwest asia and southern china. the morphometric variation in 30 cranial characters of 692 skulls of meles from across the palaearctic was here analyzed. this craniometric analysis revealed a significant difference between the european and asian badger phylogenetic lineages, which can be further split in two ...201325232583
a multi-metric approach to investigate the effects of weather conditions on the demographic of a terrestrial mammal, the european badger (meles meles).models capturing the full effects of weather conditions on animal populations are scarce. here we decompose yearly temperature and rainfall into mean trends, yearly amplitude of change and residual variation, using daily records. we establish from multi-model inference procedures, based on 1125 life histories (from 1987 to 2008), that european badger (meles meles) annual mortality and recruitment rates respond to changes in mean trends and to variability in proximate weather components. variatio ...201323874517
denning behaviour of the european badger (meles meles) correlates with bovine tuberculosis infection status.heterogeneities in behaviours of individuals may underpin important processes in evolutionary biology and ecology, including the spread of disease. modelling approaches can sometimes fail to predict disease spread, which may partly be due to the number of unknown sources of variation in host behaviour. the european badger is a wildlife reservoir for bovine tuberculosis (btb) in britain and ireland, and individual behaviour has been demonstrated to be an important factor in the spread of btb amon ...201332214614
adhesion of human and animal escherichia coli strains in association with their virulence-associated genes and phylogenetic origins.intestinal colonization is influenced by the ability of the bacterium to inhabit a niche, which is based on the expression of colonization factors. escherichia coli carries a broad range of virulence-associated genes (vags) which contribute to intestinal (invags) and extraintestinal (exvags) infection. moreover, initial evidence indicates that invags and exvags support intestinal colonization. we developed new screening tools to genotypically and phenotypically characterize e. coli isolates orig ...201323872574
wild boar tuberculosis in iberian atlantic spain: a different picture from mediterranean habitats.infections with mycobacterium bovis and closely related members of the mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (mtc) are shared between livestock, wildlife and sporadically human beings. wildlife reservoirs exist worldwide and can interfere with bovine tuberculosis (tb) eradication efforts. the eurasian wild boar (sus scrofa) is a mtc maintenance host in mediterranean iberia (spain and portugal). however, few systematic studies in wild boar have been carried out in atlantic regions. we describe the p ...201324010539
control strategies for wildlife tuberculosis in ireland.the principal domestic maintenance host for mycobacterium bovis is infected cattle. in countries where comprehensive surveillance schemes have been applied, tuberculosis rarely affects an animal to the extent that it presents with clinical disease. in the latter stages of an eradication campaign, the aim is to maintain the disease-free status of clear herds and eliminate foci of infection in herds as well as restricting movement of infected animals from these herds, other than to slaughter. howe ...201324171858
sex-related heterogeneity in the life-history correlates of mycobacterium bovis infection in european badgers (meles meles).heterogeneity in the progression of disease amongst individual wild animals may impact on both pathogen and host dynamics at the population level, through differential effects on transmission, mortality and reproductive output. the role of the european badger (meles meles) as a reservoir host for mycobacterium bovis infection in the uk and ireland has been the focus of intense research for many years. here, we investigate life-history correlates of infection in a high-density undisturbed badger ...201324171847
mycobacterium bovis: characteristics of wildlife reservoir hosts.mycobacterium bovis is the cause of tuberculosis in animals and sometimes humans. many developed nations have long-standing programmes to eradicate tuberculosis in livestock, principally cattle. as disease prevalence in cattle decreases these efforts are sometimes impeded by passage of m. bovis from wildlife to cattle. in epidemiological terms, disease can persist in some wildlife species, creating disease reservoirs, if the basic reproduction rate (r0) and critical community size (ccs) threshol ...201324171844
mycobacterium bovis infection in domestic pigs in great britain.mycobacterium bovis, the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis (tb), infects a wide range of wild and domestic mammals. despite a control programme spanning decades, m. bovis infection levels in cattle in great britain (gb) have continued to rise over recent years. as the incidence of infection in cattle and wildlife may be linked to that in swine, data relating to infection of pigs identified at slaughter were examined in this study. between 2007 and 2011, almost all m. bovis-infected pigs ori ...201324095608
spatial relationships between eurasian badgers (meles meles) and cattle infected with mycobacterium bovis in northern spain.recent studies suggest that badgers may be a potential reservoir of mycobacterium bovis infection for cattle in northern spain. the objective of this study was to investigate potential epidemiological links between cattle and badgers. culture and molecular typing data were available for cattle culled during the national tuberculosis (tb) eradication campaigns between 2008 and 2012, as well as from 171 necropsied badgers and 60 live animals trapped and examined over the same time period. mycobact ...201323602422
modelling the impact of vaccination on tuberculosis in badgers.tuberculosis (tb) in livestock, caused by mycobacterium bovis, persists in many countries. in britain, efforts to control tb through the culling of badgers (meles meles), the principal wildlife host, have so far been unsuccessful, and there is significant interest in vaccination of badgers as an alternative or complementary strategy [corrected]. using a simulation model, we show that where tb is self-contained within the badger population and there are no external sources of infection, limited-d ...201323570613
long-term temporal trends and estimated transmission rates for mycobacterium bovis infection in an undisturbed high-density badger (meles meles) population.we describe epidemiological trends in mycobacterium bovis infection in an undisturbed wild badger (meles meles) population. data were derived from the capture, clinical sampling and serological testing of 1803 badgers over 9945 capture events spanning 24 years. incidence and prevalence increased over time, exhibiting no simple relationship with host density. potential explanations are presented for a marked increase in the frequency of positive serological test results. transmission rates (r0) e ...201323537573
surveillance and movements of virginia opossum (didelphis virginiana) in the bovine tuberculosis region of michigan.wildlife reservoir hosts of bovine tuberculosis (btb) include eurasian badgers (meles meles) and brushtail possum (trichosurus vulpecula) in the uk and new zealand, respectively. similar species warrant further investigation in the northern lower peninsula of michigan, usa due to the continued presence of btb on cattle farms. most research in michigan, usa has focused on interactions between white-tailed deer (odocoileus virginianus) and cattle (bos taurus) for the transmission of the infectious ...201323531427
patterns of direct and indirect contact between cattle and badgers naturally infected with tuberculosis.tuberculosis (tb) due to infection with mycobacterium bovis is transmitted between cattle and badgers (meles meles) in the uk and ireland but it is unclear where or when transmission occurs. we investigated direct and indirect interactions between badgers and cattle using automated proximity loggers on animals and at badger latrines located on pasture, in an area of south-west england with a high-density badger population. direct contacts (interactions within 1.4 m) between badgers and cattle at ...201323522445
heterogeneity in the risk of mycobacterium bovis infection in european badger (meles meles) cubs.the behaviour of certain infected individuals within socially structured populations can have a disproportionately large effect on the spatio-temporal distribution of infection. endemic infection with mycobacterium bovis in european badgers (meles meles) in great britain and ireland is an important source of bovine tuberculosis in cattle. here we quantify the risk of infection in badger cubs in a high-density wild badger population, in relation to the infection status of resident adults. over a ...201323522097
evaluation of a method to detect mycobacterium bovis in air samples from infected eurasian badgers (meles meles) and their setts.environmental air sampling was evaluated as a method to detect the presence of m. bovis in the vicinity of infected badgers and their setts. airborne particles were collected on gelatine filters using a commercially available air sampling instrument and tested for the presence of m. bovis using bacteriological culture and real-time pcr. the sensitivity of bacteriological culture was broadly similar to that of real-time pcr when testing samples artificially spiked with m. bovis. sampling was unde ...201323384280
detection of neospora caninum in wild carnivorans in great britain.samples of brain and other tissues were collected from 99 ferrets (mustela furo), 83 red foxes (vulpes vulpes), 70 european polecats (mustela putorius), 65 american mink (neovison vison), 64 eurasian badgers (meles meles) and 9 stoats (mustela erminea), from around great britain. dna was extracted from approximately 1g of tissue and tested by specific nested its1 pcr for neospora caninum. the results from the pcr demonstrated that neospora specific dna was detected in all species of wild carnivo ...201323102760
investigating the role of wild carnivores in the epidemiology of bovine neosporosis.neospora caninum is a protozoan parasite, primarily associated with bovine abortion. the only definitive hosts discovered to date are carnivores. this study aimed to identify the role of mammalian carnivores in the epidemiology of bovine neosporosis. a sample bank of serum, fecal and brain samples was established: american mink (mustela vison), red foxes (vulpes vulpes), pine martens (martes martes), badgers (meles meles), stoats (mustela erminea), otters (lutra lutra) and feral ferrets (mustela ...201323068142
detection and characterization of histoplasma capsulatum in a german badger (meles meles) by its sequencing and multilocus sequencing analysis.a wild badger (meles meles) with a severe nodular dermatitis was presented for post mortem examination. numerous cutaneous granulomas with superficial ulceration were present especially on head, dorsum, and forearms were found at necropsy. histopathological examination of the skin revealed a severe granulomatous dermatitis with abundant intralesional round to spherical yeast-like cells, 2-5 μm in diameter, altogether consistent with the clinical appearance of histoplasmosis farciminosi. the stru ...201323035880
snapshot of viral infections in wild carnivores reveals ubiquity of parvovirus and susceptibility of egyptian mongoose to feline panleukopenia virus.the exposure of wild carnivores to viral pathogens, with emphasis on parvovirus (cpv/fplv), was assessed based on the molecular screening of tissue samples from 128 hunted or accidentally road-killed animals collected in portugal from 2008 to 2011, including egyptian mongoose (herpestes ichneumon, n = 99), red fox (vulpes vulpes, n = 19), stone marten (martes foina, n = 3), common genet (genetta genetta, n = 3) and eurasian badger (meles meles, n = 4). a high prevalence of parvovirus dna (63%) w ...201323527182
a coprological survey of parasites of wild carnivores in ireland.the increasing movement of people to wilderness areas, shrinking of wildlife habitats and the resulting urbanisation of wildlife has led to growing concerns about the transfer of parasitic diseases, particularly from contaminated faeces. faecal samples from wild carnivores in ireland were examined for the presence of protozoan and nematode parasites. red fox (vulpes vulpes) samples (n = 91) were positive for uncinaria stenocephala (38%), eucoleus aerophilus (26%), toxocara canis (20%), trichuris ...201323900557
badger social networks correlate with tuberculosis infection.although disease hosts are classically assumed to interact randomly [1], infection is likely to spread across structured and dynamic contact networks [2]. we used social network analyses to investigate contact patterns of group-living european badgers, meles meles, which are an important wildlife reservoir of bovine tuberculosis (tb). we found that tb test-positive badgers were socially isolated from their own groups but were more important for flow, potentially of infection, between social grou ...201324156807
a restatement of the natural science evidence base relevant to the control of bovine tuberculosis in great britain.bovine tuberculosis (btb) is a very important disease of cattle in great britain, where it has been increasing in incidence and geographical distribution. in addition to cattle, it infects other species of domestic and wild animals, in particular the european badger (meles meles). policy to control btb is vigorously debated and contentious because of its implications for the livestock industry and because some policy options involve culling badgers, the most important wildlife reservoir. this pa ...201323926157
bovine tuberculosis and badgers in britain: relevance of the past.the european badger (meles meles) has been identified as a wildlife reservoir of bovine tuberculosis and a source of transmission to cattle in britain and ireland. both behavioural ecology and statistical ecological modelling have indicated the long-term persistence of the disease in some badger communities, and this is postulated to account for the high incidence of bovine tuberculosis in cattle across large tracts of england and wales. this paper questions this consensus by using historical ca ...201323347609
innovative techniques for estimating illegal activities in a human-wildlife-management conflict.effective management of biological resources is contingent upon stakeholder compliance with rules. with respect to disease management, partial compliance can undermine attempts to control diseases within human and wildlife populations. estimating non-compliance is notoriously problematic as rule-breakers may be disinclined to admit to transgressions. however, reliable estimates of rule-breaking are critical to policy design. the european badger (meles meles) is considered an important vector in ...201323341973
multi-state modelling reveals sex-dependent transmission, progression and severity of tuberculosis in wild badgers.statistical models of epidemiology in wildlife populations usually consider diseased individuals as a single class, despite knowledge that infections progress through states of severity. bovine tuberculosis (btb) is a serious zoonotic disease threatening the uk livestock industry, but we have limited understanding of key epidemiological processes in its wildlife reservoirs. we estimated differential survival, force of infection and progression in disease states in a population of eurasian badger ...201323290694
factors affecting european badger (meles meles) capture numbers in one county in ireland.understanding factors affecting the number of badgers captured at and around badger setts (burrows) is of considerable applied importance. these factors could be used to estimate probable badger densities for bovine tuberculosis (btb) control and also for monitoring badger populations from a conservation perspective. furthermore, badger management and vaccination programs would benefit by increasing the probability of efficiently capturing the target badger populations. within this context, it w ...201322995474
first report of troglotrema acutum (digenea, troglotrematidae) in the eurasian badger meles meles in the iberian peninsula and presumptive lesions caused in the host.a total of 109 badger meles meles skulls from catalonia (north-eastern iberian peninsula) were studied for helminths. the tremadode troglotrema acutum is reported here for the first time in the eurasian badger in the iberian peninsula and southern europe. three methodologies were used to detect this trematode: an examination for surface lesions, axial computed tomography and fresh skull dissection. the damage caused in the affected skulls is described, along with details regarding the use of com ...201221729381
bcg vaccination reduces risk of tuberculosis infection in vaccinated badgers and unvaccinated badger cubs.wildlife is a global source of endemic and emerging infectious diseases. the control of tuberculosis (tb) in cattle in britain and ireland is hindered by persistent infection in wild badgers (meles meles). vaccination with bacillus calmette-guérin (bcg) has been shown to reduce the severity and progression of experimentally induced tb in captive badgers. analysis of data from a four-year clinical field study, conducted at the social group level, suggested a similar, direct protective effect of b ...201223251352
emergence of canine distemper virus strains with modified molecular signature and enhanced neuronal tropism leading to high mortality in wild carnivores.an ongoing canine distemper epidemic was first detected in switzerland in the spring of 2009. compared to previous local canine distemper outbreaks, it was characterized by unusually high morbidity and mortality, rapid spread over the country, and susceptibility of several wild carnivore species. here, the authors describe the associated pathologic changes and phylogenetic and biological features of a multiple highly virulent canine distemper virus (cdv) strain detected in and/or isolated from r ...201222362965
molecular identification of trichinella britovi in martens (martes martes) and badgers (meles meles); new host records in poland.trichinella larvae were detected in a marten (martes martes) and a badger (meles meles) in poland. the animals were found dead following car accidents. all examined animals derived from the mazurian lake district, north-east poland, near the village kosewo górne where trichinella infection were earlier confirmed in wildlife; red foxes and wild boars. the muscle samples were examined by artificial pepsin-hcl digestion method. the parasites were identified as trichinella britovi by multiplex polym ...201223129201
the effect of badger culling on breakdown prolongation and recurrence of bovine tuberculosis in cattle herds in great britain.bovine tuberculosis is endemic in cattle herds in great britain, with a substantial economic impact. a reservoir of mycobacterium bovis within the eurasian badger (meles meles) population is thought to have hindered disease control. cattle herd incidents, termed breakdowns, that are either 'prolonged' (lasting ≥ 240 days) or 'recurrent' (with another breakdown within a specified time period) may be important foci for onward spread of infection. they drain veterinary resources and can be demorali ...201223236478
comparing badger (meles meles) management strategies for reducing tuberculosis incidence in cattle.bovine tuberculosis (btb), caused by mycobacterium bovis, continues to be a serious economic problem for the british cattle industry. the eurasian badger (meles meles) is partly responsible for maintenance of the disease and its transmission to cattle. previous attempts to manage the disease by culling badgers have been hampered by social perturbation, which in some situations is associated with increases in the cattle herd incidence of btb. following the licensing of an injectable vaccine, we c ...201222761746
dna typing of mycobacterium bovis isolates from badgers (meles meles) culled from areas in ireland with different levels of tuberculosis prevalence.badgers (meles meles) have been implicated in the transmission of mycobacterium bovis infection to cattle in ireland and uk. recent studies in ireland have shown that although the disease is endemic in badgers, the prevalence of disease is not uniform throughout the country and can vary among subpopulations. the extent to which the prevalence levels in badgers impact on the prevalence in cattle is not known. previously, dna fingerprinting has shown that m. bovis strain types are shared between b ...201222619743
mycobacterium bovis infection in badger cubs: re-assessing the evidence for maternally derived immunological protection from advanced disease.the eurasian badger (meles meles) is a significant source of bovine tuberculosis in cattle in the uk and ireland. protection from infectious diseases, arising from maternal antibody transfer, is a well-established immunological phenomenon in mammals. in a previous study of wild badgers, transient serological responses in cubs were taken as evidence of maternal antibody transfer, and it was speculated this conferred protection from subsequent mycobacterial excretion following acquisition of tuber ...201222613668
the distribution of mycobacterium bovis infection in naturally infected badgers.populations of eurasian badgers (meles meles) with tuberculosis (mycobacterium bovis infection) are a significant reservoir of infection for cattle in ireland and the united kingdom. in this study the distribution of infection, histological lesions and gross lesions was determined in a sample of 132 culled badgers from naturally-infected wild populations. badgers were culled when an epidemiological investigation following a tuberculosis breakdown in a cattle herd implicated badgers as the probab ...201222542391
bovine tuberculosis vaccine research: historical perspectives and recent advances.the emergence of wildlife reservoirs of mycobacterium bovis infection in cattle as well as increased inter-regional trade with associated spread of m. bovis has led to renewed interest in the use of vaccines for the control of bovine tuberculosis (tb). field efficacy trials performed in the early 20th century demonstrated the partial effectiveness of bacilli calmette-guerin (bcg) for the control of bovine tb. recent experimental trials with cattle have demonstrated that: (1) subunit vaccines may ...201222342705
bcg vaccination against tuberculosis in european badgers (meles meles): a review.tuberculosis (tb) is a significant animal health problem in many parts of the world, and reservoirs of infection in wild animals complicate disease control efforts in farmed livestock, particularly cattle. badgers (meles meles) are a significant wildlife reservoir of mycobacterium bovis infection for cattle in the united kingdom (uk) and republic of ireland (roi). vaccination of badgers using an m. bovis strain bacille calmette-guérin (bcg) vaccine could potentially be an option in the national ...201222340983
large-scale serosurvey of besnoitia besnoiti in free-living carnivores in spain.the disease bovine besnoitiosis is responsible for severe economic losses caused by the protozoan besnoitia besnoiti. the identity of the definitive host (dh) of this parasite has yet to be determined, although it is presumed to be a carnivore. with the aim of advancing in the identification of b. besnoiti dh, a necessary step in implementing control strategies, the contact rate of 205 free-roaming carnivores with this parasite in spain was studied. the study included 16 wolves (canis lupus), 41 ...201222770702
impact of external sources of infection on the dynamics of bovine tuberculosis in modelled badger populations.the persistence of bovine tb (btb) in various countries throughout the world is enhanced by the existence of wildlife hosts for the infection. in britain and ireland, the principal wildlife host for btb is the badger (meles meles). the objective of our study was to examine the dynamics of btb in badgers in relation to both badger-derived infection from within the population and externally-derived, trickle-type, infection, such as could occur from other species or environmental sources, using a s ...201222738118
performance of proximity loggers in recording intra- and inter-species interactions: a laboratory and field-based validation study.knowledge of the way in which animals interact through social networks can help to address questions surrounding the ecological and evolutionary consequences of social organisation, and to understand and manage the spread of infectious diseases. automated proximity loggers are increasingly being used to record interactions between animals, but the accuracy and reliability of the collected data remain largely un-assessed. here we use laboratory and observational field data to assess the performan ...201222745704
trophic enrichment factors for blood serum in the european badger (meles meles).ecologists undertaking stable isotopic analyses of animal diets require trophic enrichment factors (tefs) for the specific animal tissues that they are studying. such basic data are available for a small number of species, so values from trophically or phylogenetically similar species are often substituted for missing values. by feeding a controlled diet to captive european badgers (meles meles) we determined tefs for carbon and nitrogen in blood serum. tefs for nitrogen and carbon in blood seru ...201223300863
population estimation and trappability of the european badger (meles meles): implications for tuberculosis management.estimates of population size and trappability inform vaccine efficacy modelling and are required for adaptive management during prolonged wildlife vaccination campaigns. we present an analysis of mark-recapture data from a badger vaccine (bacille calmette-guérin) study in ireland. this study is the largest scale (755 km(2)) mark-recapture study ever undertaken with this species. the study area was divided into three approximately equal-sized zones, each with similar survey and capture effort. a ...201223227211
molecular characterization of the microbial communities in the subcaudal gland secretion of the european badger (meles meles).many mammals possess specialized scent glands, which convey information about the marking individual. as the chemical profile of scent marks is likely to be affected by bacteria metabolizing the primary gland products, the variation in bacterial communities between different individuals has been proposed to underpin olfactory communication. however, few studies have investigated the dependency of microbiota residing in the scent organs on the host's individual-specific parameters. here, we used ...201222530962
molecular characterisation of a novel cassava associated circular ssdna virus.the application of sequence non-specific rolling circle amplification of circular single stranded (ss) dna molecules to viral metagenomics has facilitated the discovery in various ecosystems of what is probably a diverse array of novel ssdna viruses. here we describe a putative novel ssdna virus (at a genome level), cassava associated circular dna virus (cascv), isolated from cassava leaf samples infected with the fungi collectotrichum and plectosphaerella. cascv has a circular ambisense genome ...201222465471
parvovirus enteritis in eurasian badgers (meles meles). 201222447563
mhc class ii genes in the european badger (meles meles): characterization, patterns of variation, and transcription analysis.the major histocompatibility complex (mhc) comprises many genes, some of which are polymorphic with numerous alleles. sequence variation among alleles is most pronounced in exon 2 of the class ii genes, which encodes the α1 and β1 domains that form the antigen-binding site (abs) for the presentation of peptides. the mhc thus plays an important role in pathogen defense. european badgers (meles meles) are a good species in which to study the mhc, as they harbor a variety of pathogens. we present t ...201222038175
age-specific breeding success in a wild mammalian population: selection, constraint, restraint and senescence.the selection, constraint, restraint and senescence hypotheses predict how breeding success should vary with age. the selection hypothesis predicts between-individual variation arising from quality differences; the other hypotheses predict within-individual variation due to differing skills or physiological condition (constraint), residual reproductive lifespan (restraint), or somatic and reproductive investment (senescence). studies tend to focus on either the initial increase in breeding succe ...201121714821
dangerous liaisons disperse the mediterranean dwarf palm: fleshy-pulp defensive role against seed predators.we chose the interaction between the mediterranean dwarf palm (chamaerops humilis) and its major seed disperser, the eurasian badger (meles meles), to evaluate the hypothesis that endozoochory is characterized by a mixture of conflicting and overlapping interests, with the capacity of being positive or negative for plant fitness. for instance, because of the potential protective role against invertebrate seed predators of c. humilis pulp, we expected that badger-ingested diaspores (i.e., seeds w ...201121618910
the concept of superfetation: a critical review on a 'myth' in mammalian reproduction.superfetation is understood as another conception during an already ongoing pregnancy. this implies the existence of young of different developmental stages within the female reproductive tract during certain periods of pregnancy. nevertheless, a clear definition of the term as well as distinct criteria to identify the occurrence of superfetation in a species is missing. the variable anatomy of mammalian reproductive tracts seems to make the occurrence of superfetation more or less likely but im ...201120394608
phylogeographic sympatry and isolation of the eurasian badgers (meles, mustelidae, carnivora): implications for an alternative analysis using maternally as well as paternally inherited genes.in the present study, to further understand the phylogenetic relationships among the eurasian badgers (meles, mustelidae, carnivora), which are distributed widely in the palearctic, partial sequences of the mitochondrial dna (mtdna) control region (539-545 base-pairs) as a maternal genetic marker, and the sex-determining region on the y-chromosome gene (sry: 1052-1058 base-pairs), as a paternal genetic marker, were examined. the present study revealed ten sry haplotypes from 47 males of 112 indi ...201121466348
invasion of the raccoon dog nyctereutes procyonoides in europe: history of colonization, features behind its success, and threats to native fauna.we aimed to review the history of the introduction and colonization of the raccoon dog nyctereutes procyonoides in europe, the features behind its successful expansion and its impact on native fauna. the raccoon dog quickly colonized new areas after being introduced to the european part of the former soviet union. today it is widespread in northern and eastern europe and is still spreading in central europe. features behind its success include its adaptability, high reproductive potential, omniv ...201132288758
evidence for a role of the host-specific flea (paraceras melis) in the transmission of trypanosoma (megatrypanum) pestanai to the european badger.we investigated the epidemiology of trypanosoma pestanai infection in european badgers (meles meles) from wytham woods (oxfordshire, uk) to determine prevalence rates and to identify the arthropod vector responsible for transmission. a total of 245 badger blood samples was collected during september and november 2009 and examined by pcr using primers derived from the 18s rrna of t. pestanai. the parasite was detected in blood from 31% of individuals tested. t. pestanai was isolated from primary ...201121340028
infection of eurasian badgers (meles meles) with mycobacterium avium complex (mac) bacteria.there are few reports of infection with mycobacterium avium complex (mac) bacteria in badgers. in this study archive data relating to the isolation of mac organisms from badgers in the uk is presented, and information derived from recent cases of such infection in spain is used to illustrate the associated pathology and to characterise strain types. tissue samples were cultured for mycobacteria and, in the case of spanish badgers, were examined both histopathologically and using immunohistochemi ...201120605496
protection of eurasian badgers (meles meles) from tuberculosis after intra-muscular vaccination with different doses of bcg.mycobacterium bovis infection is widespread in eurasian badger (meles meles) populations in great britain and the republic of ireland where they act as a wildlife reservoir of infection for cattle. removal of infected badgers can significantly reduce the incidence of bovine tuberculosis (tb) in local cattle herds. however, control measures based on culling of native wildlife are contentious and may even be detrimental to disease control. vaccinating badgers with bacillus calmette-guerin (bcg) ha ...201121440035
tuberculosis in cattle herds are sentinels for mycobacterium bovis infection in european badgers (meles meles): the irish greenfield study.in ireland badgers are removed in response to tuberculosis (tb) breakdowns in cattle herds (focal culling). prevalence studies, conducted using a detailed post mortem and bacteriological examination, showed that 36-50% of badgers were infected with mycobacterium bovis. focal culling forms part of the medium term national strategy for the control of bovine tb in cattle and is based on the premise that badgers in areas with herd breakdowns have a higher prevalence of infection than the badger popu ...201121444162
advances and prospects for management of tb transmission between badgers and cattle.bovine tuberculosis (btb) is the most serious endemic disease facing the livestock industry in the united kingdom (uk) and republic of ireland (roi), where its management has been confounded by the presence of persistent infection in the eurasian badger (meles meles). field evidence suggests that the social structure of badger populations can have an important influence on disease dynamics, and on the outcome of management interventions. recent, large-scale badger culling experiments in the uk a ...201121450417
local cattle and badger populations affect the risk of confirmed tuberculosis in british cattle herds.the control of bovine tuberculosis (btb) remains a priority on the public health agenda in great britain, after launching in 1998 the randomised badger culling trial (rbct) to evaluate the effectiveness of badger (meles meles) culling as a control strategy. our study complements previous analyses of the rbct data (focusing on treatment effects) by presenting analyses of herd-level risks factors associated with the probability of a confirmed btb breakdown in herds within each treatment: repeated ...201121464920
phylogenetic analysis of austrian canine distemper virus strains from clinical samples from dogs and wild carnivores.austrian field cases of canine distemper (14 dogs, one badger [meles meles] and one stone marten [martes foina]) from 2002 to 2007 were investigated and the case histories were summarised briefly. phylogenetic analysis of fusion (f) and haemagglutinin (h) gene sequences revealed different canine distemper virus (cdv) lineages circulating in austria. the majority of cdv strains detected from 2002 to 2004 were well embedded in the european lineage. one austrian canine sample detected in 2003, with ...201121498265
a new experimental infection model in ferrets based on aerosolised mycobacterium bovis.there is significant interest in developing vaccines to control bovine tuberculosis, especially in wildlife species where this disease continues to persist in reservoir species such as the european badger (meles meles). however, gaining access to populations of badgers (protected under uk law) is problematic and not always possible. in this study, a new infection model has been developed in ferrets (mustela furo), a species which is closely related to the badger. groups of ferrets were infected ...201121547237
infection of eurasian badgers (meles meles) with mycobacterium bovis and mycobacterium avium complex in spain.the prevalence, distribution and pathology related to infection with mycobacterium bovis and other mycobacteria were determined in trapped (n=36) and road-killed (n=121) badgers in spain from 2006 to 2010. the prevalence of m. bovis based on bacteriological culture from road-killed badgers was 8/121 (6.6%) and from trapped badgers was 0/36 (0%). tuberculosis/m. bovis infection was evident in 15/121 (12.4%) road-killed badgers when bacteriology and histopathology were combined. mycobacterium aviu ...201121612958
culling-induced changes in badger (meles meles) behaviour, social organisation and the epidemiology of bovine tuberculosis.in the uk, attempts since the 1970s to control the incidence of bovine tuberculosis (btb) in cattle by culling a wildlife host, the european badger (meles meles), have produced equivocal results. culling-induced social perturbation of badger populations may lead to unexpected outcomes. we test predictions from the 'perturbation hypothesis', determining the impact of culling operations on badger populations, movement of surviving individuals and the influence on the epidemiology of btb in badgers ...201122194946
trace elements in tissues of wild carnivores and omnivores in croatia.the differences in metal exposure (as, cd, cu, pb and hg) in the muscle, liver and kidney tissues of brown bears (ursus arctos), grey wolfs (canis lupus), eurasian lynxs (lynx lynx), eurasian badgers (meles meles) and pine martens (martes martes) from croatia were observed. the highest mean cd levels were found in kidney and liver of eurasian badger (3.05 and 0.537 mg/kg). the highest cu concentrations (mg/kg) measured in liver tissue were obtained in order: eurasian badger (15.2) > brown bear ( ...201122037661
presence of bartonella species in wild carnivores of northern spain.the genus bartonella was detected by pcr in 5.7% (12/212) of wild carnivores from northern spain. based on hybridization and sequence analyses, bartonella henselae was identified in a wildcat (felis silvestris), bartonella rochalimae in a red fox (vulpes vulpes) and in a wolf (canis lupus), and bartonella sp. in badgers (meles meles).201122138983
arcanobacterium haemolyticum in a badger (meles meles).a 7.5-kg female european badger (meles meles) was submitted under the united kingdom government's wildlife incident investigation scheme to the thirsk regional laboratory of the animal health and veterinary laboratories agency. postmortem examination revealed a large, poorly encapsulated retropharyngeal abscess full of necrotic debris and pus. arcanobacterium haemolyticum was isolated from the lymph node and confirmed by phenotypic profiling and 16s ribosomal rna dna sequencing. workers should b ...201122362809
oral vaccination of badgers (meles meles) with bcg and protective immunity against endobronchial challenge with mycobacterium bovis.eurasian badgers (meles meles) are a reservoir host of mycobacterium bovis and are implicated in the transmission of tuberculosis to cattle in ireland and great britain. the development of a vaccine for use in badgers is considered a key element of any long-term sustainable campaign to eradicate the disease from livestock in both countries. the aim of this study was to investigate the protective response of badgers vaccinated orally with bacille calmette-guérin (bcg) encapsulated in a lipid form ...201020637774
angiostrongylus species in wild carnivores in the iberian peninsula.a survey of angiostrongylus parasites was carried out between 2003 and 2006 in wild carnivore species in the basque country (northern spain). parasitological examination consisted in the dissection of heart and lungs for the extraction of adult worms. nematodes were identified using morphometrical features and also pcr amplification and sequencing analysis. the animal species included in this study were eurasian badger (meles meles), weasel (mustela nivalis), beech marten (martes foina), pine ma ...201020728995
spatial clustering of tb-infected cattle herds prior to and following proactive badger removal.summarybovine tuberculosis (tb) is primarily a disease of cattle. in both ireland and the uk, badgers (meles meles) are an important wildlife reservoir of infection. this paper examined the hypothesis that tb is spatially correlated in cattle herds, established the range of correlation and the effect, if any, of proactive badger removal on this. we also re-analysed data from the four area project in ireland, a large-scale intervention study aimed at assessing the effect of proactive badger culli ...201020950513
high seroprevalence of antibodies to toxoplasma gondii in wild animals from portugal.we report an investigation of antibodies to toxoplasma gondii in 52 wild birds and 20 wild mammals from northern and central areas of portugal by using the modified agglutination test. the birds comprised 26 common buzzards (buteo buteo), five tawny owls (strix aluco), four white storks (ceconia ceconia), three eurasian eagle owls (bubo bubo), three northern goshawks (accipiter gentilis), two booted eagles (hieraaetus pennatus), two common barn owls (tyto alba), two eurasian sparrowhawks (accipi ...201021104273
bacillus calmette-guerin vaccination reduces the severity and progression of tuberculosis in badgers.control of bovine tuberculosis (tb) in cattle has proven particularly challenging where reservoirs of infection exist in wildlife populations. in britain and ireland, control is hampered by a reservoir of infection in eurasian badgers (meles meles). badger culling has positive and negative effects on bovine tb in cattle and is difficult, costly and controversial. here we show that bacillus calmette-guérin (bcg) vaccination of captive badgers reduced the progression, severity and excretion of myc ...201021123260
mycobacterium bovis infection in the eurasian badger (meles meles): the disease, pathogenesis, epidemiology and control.eurasian badgers (meles meles) are an important wildlife reservoir of tuberculosis (mycobacterium bovis) infection in ireland and the united kingdom. as part of national programmes to control tuberculosis in livestock, considerable effort has been devoted to studying the disease in badgers and this has lead to a rapid increase in our knowledge of tuberculosis in this host. tuberculosis in badgers is a chronic infection and in a naturally-infected population the severity of disease can vary widel ...201021131004
giardiosis in eurasian badgers (meles meles). 201021262735
diagnostic accuracy and optimal use of three tests for tuberculosis in live badgers.accurate diagnosis of tuberculosis (tb) due to infection with mycobacterium bovis is notoriously difficult in live animals, yet important if we are to understand the epidemiology of tb and devise effective strategies to limit its spread. currently available tests for diagnosing tb in live eurasian badgers (meles meles) remain unvalidated against a reliable gold standard. the aim of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and optimal use of three tests for tb in badgers in the a ...201020585404
the prevalence and distribution of mycobacterium bovis infection in european badgers (meles meles) as determined by enhanced post mortem examination and bacteriological culture.the accurate diagnosis of mycobacterium bovis infection in badgers is key to understanding the epidemiology of tuberculosis in this species and has significant implications for devising strategies to limit spread of the disease. in this study, badgers (n=215) in the republic of ireland were examined at post mortem and tissues were collected from a range of anatomical locations and pooled into groups for bacterial culture of m. bovis. by assessing confirmed gross visible lesions (vl) alone, infec ...201019545882
estimating the extent of spatial association of mycobacterium bovis infection in badgers in ireland.mycobacterium bovis infects the wildlife species badgers meles meles who are linked with the spread of the associated disease tuberculosis (tb) in cattle. control of livestock infections depends in part on the spatial and social structure of the wildlife host. here we describe spatial association of m. bovis infection in a badger population using data from the first year of the four area project in ireland. using second-order intensity functions, we show there is strong evidence of clustering of ...201019653926
pelioid hepatocellular carcinoma in an adult eurasian badger (meles meles).a mass was identified within the left lateral lobe of the liver of a 10-year-old eurasian badger (meles meles). the mass was friable and multilobulated, with blood-filled spaces between the lobules. microscopically, the lesion consisted of sheets and trabeculae of neoplastic hepatocytes often forming cystic spaces containing erythrocytes, fibrin and necrotic debris. the histological appearance was consistent with hepatocellular carcinoma (hcc). immunohistochemically, the neoplastic cells express ...201019683720
farm husbandry and badger behaviour: opportunities to manage badger to cattle transmission of mycobacterium bovis?bovine tuberculosis (btb) is a serious disease of cattle in the uk in terms of the economic impact on the farming industry. the disease has proven difficult to control in the cattle population and the eurasian badger (meles meles) is a source of infection. in recent years, there has been growing interest in the potential to employ farm husbandry and biosecurity practices to reduce btb transmission risks. here we review the potential routes of btb transmission between badgers and cattle and explo ...201019846226
using genetic methods to investigate dispersal in two badger (meles meles) populations with different ecological characteristics.understanding the dispersal behaviour of a species is important for understanding its ecology and evolution. dispersal in the eurasian badger (meles meles) is believed to be very limited, with social groups forming primarily through the retention of offspring. however, most of our knowledge of dispersal in this species comes from studies of high-density populations in the united kingdom, where badgers are atypical in their behaviour, physiology, ecology and prey specialization. in this study we ...201019812619
evaluation of a rapid serological test for the determination of mycobacterium bovis infection in badgers (meles meles) found dead.between october 2005 and may 2006, a total of 727 badgers found dead in wales were reported, and 550 were delivered to the regional laboratories of the veterinary laboratories agency (vla). of the 459 carcasses suitable for examination, 55 were deemed to be infected with mycobacterium bovis on the basis of culture, spoligotyping, and variable-number tandem repeat typing. acid-fast bacteria were observed histologically in a further six badgers, but these bacteria were not confirmed as m. bovis by ...201020042520
the duration of the effects of repeated widespread badger culling on cattle tuberculosis following the cessation of culling.in the british isles, control of cattle tuberculosis (tb) is hindered by persistent infection of wild badger (meles meles) populations. a large-scale field trial--the randomised badger culling trial (rbct)--previously showed that widespread badger culling produced modest reductions in cattle tb incidence during culling, which were offset by elevated tb risks for cattle on adjoining lands. once culling was halted, beneficial effects inside culling areas increased, while detrimental effects on adj ...201020161769
using isolation-by-distance-based approaches to assess the barrier effect of linear landscape elements on badger (meles meles) dispersal.as the european badger (meles meles) can be of conservation or management concern, it is important to have a good understanding of the species' dispersal ability. in particular, knowledge of landscape elements that affect dispersal can contribute to devising effective management strategies. however, the standard approach of using bayesian clustering methods to correlate genetic discontinuities with landscape elements cannot easily be applied to this problem, as badger populations are often chara ...201020345687
fitness measures in selection analyses: sensitivity to the overall number of offspring produced in a lifetime.age at first (alpha) and last (omega) breeding are important life-history traits; however, the direction and strength of selection detected on traits may vary depending on the fitness measure used. we provide the first estimates of lifetime breeding success (lbs) and lambda(ind) (the population growth rate of an individual) of european badgers meles meles, by genotyping 915 individuals, sampled over 18 years, for 22 microsatellites. males are slightly larger than females, and the opportunity for ...201020002246
seasonal and inter-individual variation in testosterone levels in badgers meles meles: evidence for the existence of two endocrinological phenotypes.elevated testosterone levels can lower condition and increase parasites. we analysed testosterone in 84 blood samples of wild european badgers meles meles collected at regular intervals (winter = mating season; spring = end of mating season; summer = minor mating peak; autumn = reproductive quiescence), and related variation to body condition, subcaudal gland secretion, parasite burden, and bite wounding. all males showed elevated levels in winter and low levels in autumn. in neither season did ...200919669151
clinical and laboratory findings in a eurasian badger (meles meles) with pituitary dwarfism. 200919287031
incorporating genotype uncertainty into mark-recapture-type models for estimating abundance using dna samples.sampling dna noninvasively has advantages for identifying animals for uses such as mark-recapture modeling that require unique identification of animals in samples. although it is possible to generate large amounts of data from noninvasive sources of dna, a challenge is overcoming genotyping errors that can lead to incorrect identification of individuals. a major source of error is allelic dropout, which is failure of dna amplification at one or more loci. this has the effect of heterozygous ind ...200919173702
light and scanning electron microscopic study on the tongue and lingual papillae of the japanese badgers, meles meles anakuma.we observed the three-dimensional structures of the external surface and connective tissue cores (ctcs), after exfoliation of the epithelium of the lingual papillae (filiform, fungiform and foliate papillae) of the japanese badgers (meles meles anakuma) using scanning electron microscopy and conventional light microscopy. macroscopically, the tongue was elongated anterior-posteriorly and the apex rounded. numerous filiform papillae and fungiform papillae were distributed all over the tongue exce ...200919408581
traffic mortality and the role of minor roads.roads have large impacts on wildlife, as they form one of the principal causes of mortality, and disturbance and fragmentation of habitat. these impacts are mainly studied and mitigated on major roads. it is, however, a widespread misconception that most animals are killed on major roads. in this paper, we argue that minor roads have a larger impact on wildlife with respect to habitat destruction, noise load and traffic mortality. we use data on traffic related deaths in badgers (meles meles) in ...200918079047
a record of crenosoma vulpis (rudolphi, 1819) (nematoda, crenosomatidae) from the eurasian badger (meles meles l.) from poland.three specimens of the nematode crenosoma vulpis (rudolphi, 1819) were isolated from the lungs of the eurasian badger (meles meles l.) found dead on a road in the north-western part of wrocław (lower silesia, sw. poland) in august 2008. since this is the first record of the parasite in the badger from poland, description, biometrical data and figures are given.200920209822
muscular sarcocystosis in wild carnivores in honshu, japan.a total of 65 free-living carnivores collected on honshu island, japan were examined for muscular sarcocystis species infections. among them, 12 japanese raccoon dogs (nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus), one japanese red fox (vulpes vulpes japonica), three japanese martens (martes melampus melampus), and two japanese badgers (meles meles anakuma) were found to have sarcocysts in their muscles. no inflammatory reactions associated with sarcocysts were observed. ultrastructurally, the sarcocysts ...200919841942
tuberculosis in european badgers (meles meles) and the control of infection with bacille calmette-guérin vaccination.the eradication of tuberculosis (mycobacterium bovis infection) from cattle herds may be compromised if infected wildlife species, such as european badgers (meles meles), share the same environment and contribute to transfer of infection. options for dealing with tuberculosis in this wild reservoir host are limited by conservation and social concerns, despite a clear implication that infected badgers are involved with the initiation of tuberculosis in cattle herds. vaccination of badgers against ...200919901380
cost-benefit analysis model of badger (meles meles) culling to reduce cattle herd tuberculosis breakdowns in britain, with particular reference to badger perturbation.bovine tuberculosis (tb) is an important economic disease. badgers (meles meles) are the wildlife source implicated in many cattle outbreaks of tb in britain, and extensive badger control is a controversial option to reduce the disease. a badger and cattle population model was developed, simulating tb epidemiology; badger ecology, including postcull social perturbation; and tb-related farm management. an economic cost-benefit module was integrated into the model to assess whether badger control ...200919901382
estimating the risk of cattle exposure to tuberculosis posed by wild deer relative to badgers in england and wales.wild deer populations in great britain are expanding in range and probably in numbers, and relatively high prevalence of bovine tuberculosis (btb, caused by infection with mycobacterium bovis) in deer occurs locally in parts of southwest england. to evaluate the m. bovis exposure risk posed to cattle by wild deer relative to badgers in england and wales, we constructed and parameterized a quantitative risk model with the use of information from the literature (on deer densities, activity pattern ...200919901384
performance of tb immunodiagnostic tests in eurasian badgers (meles meles) of different ages and the influence of duration of infection on serological sensitivity.in parts of great britain and ireland, eurasian badgers (meles meles) constitute a reservoir of mycobacterium bovis infection and a potential source of infection for cattle. in vitro diagnostic tests for live badgers are an important component of strategies to control tb in this species. immunological tests have been developed for badgers, although little is known about the influence of the age of the animal on test performance. to address this, we evaluated the performance of three immunologica ...200919919697
detection and identification of bartonella sp. in fleas from carnivorous mammals in andalusia, spain.a total of 559 fleas representing four species (pulex irritans, ctenocephalides felis, ctenocephalides canis and spilopsyllus cuniculi) collected on carnivores (five iberian lynx lynx pardinus, six european wildcat felis silvestris, 10 common genet genetta genetta, three eurasian badger meles meles, 22 red fox vulpes vulpes, 87 dogs and 23 cats) in andalusia, southern spain, were distributed in 156 pools of monospecific flea from each carnivore, and tested for bartonella infection in an assay ba ...200919941605
exploitation of food resources by the eurasian badger (meles meles) at the altitudinal limit of its alpine range (nw italy).food availability has been suggested to be the main factor shaping the altitudinal limits of species distributions. we analyzed the badger (meles meles) diet in the western italian alps and, particularly, at the altitudinal limit of its range, with the main aim of highlighting any reduction in earthworm availability with altitude which could act as a limiting factor for badgers. earthworms were by far the main food resource of badgers, followed by fruit. the two-month importance of these two ite ...200919968469
thelazia callipaeda (spirurida, thelaziidae) in wild animals: report of new host species and ecological implications.thelazia callipaeda infects the eyes of carnivores and humans in far eastern asiatic and european countries. studies have demonstrated the occurrence of t. callipaeda in foxes from areas where canine thelaziosis is endemic. however, there is little information on the role of wild carnivores as hosts of this nematode. from may 2003 to may 2009, a total of 130 carcasses of red foxes (vulpes vulpes; n=75), wolves (canis lupus; n=2), beech martens (martes foina; n=22), brown hares (lepus europaeus; ...200919782474
human and canine pulmonary mycobacterium bovis infection in the same household: re-emergence of an old zoonotic threat?bovine tuberculosis (btb), caused by mycobacterium bovis, remains a serious animal health problem in the uk, despite longstanding statutory surveillance and control measures. endemic infection in the eurasian badger population is thought to complicate btb eradication efforts. sporadic cases of m bovis infection have also been reported in domestic animals other than cattle. human m bovis infection is extremely rare in the native uk population in the absence of unpasteurised milk consumption or re ...200919103875
bovine tuberculosis in cattle and badgers in localized culling areas.bovine tuberculosis (tb) is a zoonotic disease that can have serious consequences for cattle farming and, potentially, for public health. in britain, failure to control bovine tb has been linked to persistent infection of european badger (meles meles) populations. however, culling of badgers in the vicinity of recent tb outbreaks in cattle has failed to reduce the overall incidence of cattle tb. using data from a large-scale study conducted in 1998-2005, we show that badgers collected on such lo ...200919204342
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