Parasite insight: assessing fitness costs, infection risks and foraging benefits relating to gastrointestinal nematodes in wild mammalian herbivores.

ABSTRACT: Mammalian herbivores are typically infected by parasitic nematodes, which are acquired through direct, faecal-oral transmission. These parasites can cause significant production losses in domestic livestock, but much less is known about impacts on wild mammalian hosts. We review three elements of parasitism from the host's perspective: fitness costs of infection, risks of infection during foraging and benefits of nutritious pasture. The majority of wildlife studies have been observational, but experimental manipulation is increasing. Treatment with anthelmintics to manipulate parasite load has revealed varied impacts of parasites on fitness variables across host species, but has not produced consistent evidence for parasite-induced anorexia or impaired body condition. Some experimental stu

SUBMITTER: Coulson G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6000135 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature