J 2021

Fecal glucocorticoids and gastrointestinal parasite infections in wild western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) involved in ecotourism

SHUTT-PHILLIPS, Kathryn, Barbora PAFČO, Michael HEISTERMANN, Adetayo KASIM, Klára J. PETRŽELKOVÁ et. al.

Basic information

Original name

Fecal glucocorticoids and gastrointestinal parasite infections in wild western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) involved in ecotourism

Authors

SHUTT-PHILLIPS, Kathryn, Barbora PAFČO (guarantor), Michael HEISTERMANN, Adetayo KASIM, Klára J. PETRŽELKOVÁ, Ilona PROFOUSOVÁ-PŠENKOVÁ, David MODRÝ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution), Angelique TODD, Terence FUH, Jean-Francais DICKY, Jean-Bruno BOPALANZOGNAKO and Joanna M. SETCHELL

Edition

General and Comparative Endocrinology, SAN DIEGO, Elsevier, 2021, 0016-6480

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

10613 Zoology

Country of publisher

United States of America

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

Impact factor

Impact factor: 3.255

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14310/21:00123527

Organization unit

Faculty of Science

DOI

UT WoS

000686348000006

Keywords in English

Primate; Conservation; Endocrine; Parasites; Immunity

Tags

Tags

International impact, Reviewed
Změněno: 28/3/2022 09:40, Mgr. Marie Šípková, DiS.

Abstract

V originále

Wildlife ecotourism can offer a source of revenue which benefits local development and conservation simultaneously. However, habituation of wildlife for ecotourism can cause long-term elevation of glucocorticoid hormones, which may suppress immune function and increase an animal's vulnerability to disease. We have previously shown that western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) undergoing habituation in Dzanga-Sangha Protected Areas, Central African Republic, have higher fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGCM) levels than both habituated and unhabituated gorillas. Here, we tested the relationship between FGCM levels and strongylid infections in the same gorillas. If high FGCM levels suppress the immune system, we predicted that FGCM levels will be positively associated with strongylid egg counts and that gorillas undergoing habituation will have the highest strongylid egg counts, relative to both habituated and unhabituated gorillas. We collected fecal samples over 12 months in two habituated gorilla groups, one group undergoing habituation and completely unhabituated gorillas. We established FGCM levels and fecal egg counts of Necator/Oesophagostomum spp. and Mammomonogamus sp. Controlling for seasonal variation and age-sex category in strongylid infections we found no significant relationship between FGCMs and Nectator/Oesophagostomum spp. or Mammomonogamus sp. egg counts in a within group comparison in either a habituated group or a group undergoing habituation. However, across groups, egg counts of Nectator/Oesophagostomum spp. were lowest in unhabituated animals and highest in the group undergoing habituation, matching the differences in FGCM levels among these gorilla groups. Our findings partially support the hypothesis that elevated glucocorticoids reduce a host's ability to control the extent of parasitic infections, and show the importance of non-invasive monitoring of endocrine function and parasite infection in individuals exposed to human pressure including habituation process and ecotourism.