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Associations of intestinal helminth infections with health parameters of spring-migrating female lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) in the upper Midwest, USA

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Abstract

Thousands of lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) die during spring and fall migrations through the upper Midwest, USA, from infections with Cyathocotyle bushiensis and Sphaeridiotrema spp. (Class: Trematoda) after ingesting infected intermediate hosts, such as non-native faucet snails (Bithynia tentaculata). The lesser scaup is a species of conservation concern and is highly susceptible to these infections. We collected female lesser scaup from spring migratory stopover locations throughout Illinois and Wisconsin and assessed biochemical and morphological indicators of health in relation to intestinal helminth loads. Helminth species diversity, total trematode abundance, and the infection intensities of the trematodes C. bushiensis and Sphaeridiotrema spp. were associated with percent body fat, blood metabolites, hematological measures, and an index of foraging habitat quality. Helminth diversity was negatively associated with percent body fat, albumin concentrations, and monocytes, whereas glucose concentrations displayed a slight, positive association. Total trematode abundance was negatively associated with blood concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids and albumin. Infections of C. bushiensis were positively related to basophil levels, whereas Sphaeridiotrema spp. infection intensity was negatively associated with packed cell volume and foraging habitat quality. Thus, commonly measured health metrics may indicate intestinal parasite infections and help waterfowl managers understand overall habitat quality. Intestinal parasitic loads offer another plausible mechanism underlying the spring condition hypothesis.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the many technicians, personnel, and other assistants of the Forbes Biological Station for specimen collection efforts; the USGS National Wildlife Health Center, HelmWest Laboratory, and University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine Parasitology Laboratory for the assistance in identifying parasites and other in-kind contributions; the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Meat Science Laboratory and College of Veterinary Medicine Clinical Pathology Laboratory for specimen processing and biochemical analyses; and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Nature Conservancy, and many private landowners for providing in-kind support and access to collection sites. We thank T. Lyons for the unyielding analytical support and advice.

Funding

For funding, we thank the Illinois Department of Natural Resources through the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Program (W-43-R-61&62; W-176-R-1&2), the US Fish and Wildlife Service through the Flex Fund Grant Program of the Upper Mississippi River and Great Lakes Region Joint Venture (F13AP00229), and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Illinois Natural History Survey Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Frank C. Bellrose Waterfowl Research Center, Forbes Biological Station, Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 20003 CR 1770E, Havana, IL, 62644, USA

    J. Conner England, Josh M. Osborn, Aaron P. Yetter & Heath M. Hagy

  2. Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1816 S. Oak St, Champaign, Illinois, 61820, USA

    Jeffrey M. Levengood & Cory D. Suski

  3. US Geological Survey-National Wildlife Health Center, 6006 Schroeder Rd, Madison, Wisconsin, 53711, USA

    Rebecca A. Cole

  4. United States Fish and Wildlife Service, 6772 Highway 76S, Stanton, Tennessee, 38069, USA

    Heath M. Hagy

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  1. J. Conner England
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Correspondence to J. Conner England.

Ethics declarations

All procedures were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee at the University of Illinois (protocol nos. 14295 and 11,229), the US Fish and Wildlife Service (MB145466–1), Illinois Department of Natural Resources (NH14.4071, NH15.4071, SS14-02, and SS15-11), and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (SRL-SOD-005-2013).

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Geological Survey, Bureau of Land Management, Illinois Natural History Survey, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, or the University of Illinois. Use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the US Government.

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Conner England, J., Levengood, J.M., Osborn, J.M. et al. Associations of intestinal helminth infections with health parameters of spring-migrating female lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) in the upper Midwest, USA. Parasitol Res 117, 1877–1890 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-018-5879-6

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