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A Review of Infectious Agents in Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) and Their Long-Term Ecological Relevance

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An Erratum to this article was published on 01 September 2015

Abstract

Disease was a listing criterion for the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 2008; it is therefore important to evaluate the current state of knowledge and identify any information gaps pertaining to diseases in polar bears. We conducted a systematic literature review focused on infectious agents and associated health impacts identified in polar bears. Overall, the majority of reports in free-ranging bears concerned serosurveys or fecal examinations with little to no information on associated health effects. In contrast, most reports documenting illness or pathology referenced captive animals and diseases caused by etiologic agents not representative of exposure opportunities in wild bears. As such, most of the available infectious disease literature has limited utility as a basis for development of future health assessment and management plans. Given that ecological change is a considerable risk facing polar bear populations, future work should focus on cumulative effects of multiple stressors that could impact polar bear population dynamics.

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Acknowledgments

We thank K. Oakley and A. Ramey for comments that improved an earlier version of this manuscript. Mention of trade names or organizations does not imply endorsement by the U.S. government.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, 300 West Drake Road, Fort Collins, CO, 80524, USA

    Anna C. Fagre & Colleen Duncan

  2. Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health, Science Technology and Analysis Services (STAS), Veterinary Services (VS), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 2150 Centre Ave., Fort Collins, CO, 80526, USA

    Kelly A. Patyk

  3. Wildlife-Livestock Disease Investigations Team, STAS, VS, APHIS, USDA, 4101 LaPorte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA

    Pauline Nol

  4. U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Drive, Anchorage, AK, 99508, USA

    Todd Atwood

  5. Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Natural Science and Mathematics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA

    Karsten Hueffer

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  1. Anna C. Fagre
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Correspondence to Colleen Duncan.

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C. Fagre, A., Patyk, K.A., Nol, P. et al. A Review of Infectious Agents in Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) and Their Long-Term Ecological Relevance. EcoHealth 12, 528–539 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-015-1023-6

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