Essential mineral elements in roe deer: Associations with parasites and immune phenotypes in two contrasting populations.

ABSTRACT: Low levels of essential mineral elements such as cobalt, copper, and iron, in organisms reduce immune function, increasing the chances of parasitic infection. This phenomenon has been demonstrated widely in domestic animals but rarely in wildlife. In this study, we used data from 7- to 9-month-old roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), living in two different populations facing contrasting environmental conditions (Trois-Fontaines and Chizé), to investigate whether the parasitic and immunological statuses could be related to essential element status. Between 2016 and 2019, we collected feces to measure parasite burdens (gastrointestinal and pulmonary nematodes), blood to measure immunological parameters (globulins and white blood cells), and hair to assess the concentration of 11 essential

SUBMITTER: Bariod L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11519704 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature