Infected rodents widespread in Algonquin Park, LU researchers find

Six of seven species of wild rodent species in Algonquin Park tested by Laurentian University researchers were found to be infected with a bacteria that can sicken humans.

A team of Laurentian University biology researchers led by Dr. Albrecht Schulte-Hostedde has found significant evidence of the spread of the zoonotic bacterium Coxiella burnetii in wildlife in Algonquin Park.

The results of the Laurentian research are being published in the latest issue of the scientific journal Zoonoses and Public Health.

A zoonotic disease is one that can be transmitted to humans from animals. The C. Burnetii bacterium causes Query fever, or “Q-fever,” in humans, an illness which may cause fever, flu-like symptoms, and occasionally swelling of the lining of the heart and heart failure.

Fortunately, given that hundreds of thousands of people visit Algonquin Park every year, there have been no confirmed reports of Q-fever that have been traced back to the park, Schulte-Hostedde said.

“We were certainly surprised to find such a high prevalence of Coxiella burnetii in Algonquin, given the amount of human traffic in the area,” Schulte-Hostedde said. “It’s good news that so far there are no confirmed reports of Q-fever traced back to the Park.”

Researchers are now trying to determine how the bacteria is maintained and spread in the natural environment. C. Burnetii is usually found on farms and infection of humans generally occurs through contact with sheep, goats or cattle.

“The bacteria that cause Query fever can make humans quite sick, so this is an important finding,” Schulte-Hostedde said. “We don’t know yet whether wild species are picking it up from domesticated animals, and we don’t know how it changes as it moves between species. As we learn more about it, we’ll have a better understanding of the potential risk to human health.”

Species tested include red squirrels, flying squirrels and deer mice. C. Burnetii was also found in flying squirrels in the Peterborough area, indicating that the bacteria may be widespread among these animal populations in Ontario.

Schulte-Hostedde is Canada Research Chair in Applied Evolutionary Ecology at Laurentian University. Among other areas of study, he has studied squirrel populations in Algonquin Park for more than 10 years.

The last significant outbreak of C. Burnetii was in the Netherlands in 2007 and led to the infection of more than 2,000 people and the culling of thousands of goats.

Posted by Arron Pickard