DOI: 10.5061/dryad.xsj3tx9pj
title: Data from: Why is our roe deer short of breath? – Prevalence and promotive factors of lung parasites in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in southeast Germany

description: The existence of bronchopulmonary nematodes in German roe deer (Capreolus
 capreolus) is well documented, with two types of lung parasites that have
 been described previously (Dictyocaulus capreolus and Varestrongylus
 capreoli). However, little is known about the impact of these parasites on
 their host animal or which parameters influence outbreak and intensity of
 infection. The aim of this study was to obtain new information on the
 relevance of factors such as season, environmental conditions or age, sex,
 and body mass of the infected roe deer. To obtain our results, the
 respiratory tracts of 762 roe deer from south-eastern Germany were
 examined. In the sample, 42.5 % of roe deer were infested with V. capreoli
 and 14.0 % with D. capreolus, 51.3 % of animals were completely free of
 lung parasites. Testing for influencing variables, our regression models
 found both sex and age of the roe deer to statistically influence
 infestation, with male sex and younger age correlating with both stronger
 infestation and higher infestation rates. Accordingly, in male animals,
 the infestation rates with V. capreoli and D. capreolus (45.1 % and 20.1
 %) were higher than in females (39.4 % and 8.0 %). The overall infestation
 rate of juvenile animals was remarkably higher (73 %) than those
 of sub-adults (38.3 %) or adults (28.4 %). Across all
 age groups, infested animals showed lower body weights compared to
 non-infested animals. According to our multiple linear regression model
 Roe deer infected with D. capreolus on average weighed 0.65 kg less than
 their healthy counterparts, in case of V. capreoli 0.72 kg less on
 average. While the burden on the well-being of infested animals can only
 be assumed, these concrete figures (reduced body weight in infested
 compared to healthy animals) demonstrate the economic damage lung
 parasites cause to meat harvesting from bagged roe deer.
description: # "Why is our roe deer short of breath? – Prevalence and promotive
 factors of lung parasites in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in southeast
 Germany." Access this dataset on Dryad: doi:10.5061/dryad.xsj3tx9pj
 **This dataset contains the data collected for our study on lungworm
 infection in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in southeast Germany.**
 **Description of the data and file structure:** Columns A - H of the
 dataset contain information on the roe deer tested for lung parasites
 Varestrongylus capreoli and Dictyocaulus capreolus. The remaining columns
 (I - Q) provide information on the infection with lungworms. **The
 following abbreviations were used:** na = not available (Since our data
 was collected in a field study, under field conditions, we could not
 provide a value in some cases and therefore marked the cells with
 "na". For example, in a few cases the sex, age or weight of the
 roe deer could not be detected and when lungs were damaged the number of
 breeding knots of the small lungworm or the amount of adult D. capreolus
 could not be given.) A (Habitat): Where the roe deer lived: Spessart = 1;
 Haßberge = 2; Oberpfalz = 3; Niederbayern = 4; München = 5; Allgäu = 6;
 Bad Tölz = 7; Ruhpolding = 8; Berchtesgaden = 9 B (Date): Year, Month and
 Day the animal was hunted C (Animal-ID): Continuous ID-number of the roe
 deer D (Month): month in which animal was shot 1 = january, 2 = february
 and so on E (Season): season in which animal was shot 1 = Spring (Months
 3,4,5), 2 = Summer (Months 6,7,8), 3 = Autumn (Months 9,10,11), 4 = Winter
 (Months 12,1,2) F (Sex): sex of the bagged roe deer 1 = male, 2 = female G
 (Age Class): age class of the bagged roe deer 1 = juvenile (younger than 1
 year) 2 = subadult (1- &lt;2 years old) 3 = adult (2 years or older) H
 (Weight eviscerated): weight (eviscerated) of the roe deer, in kg I
 (Visible worm knots): the small lungworm (Varestrongylus capreolus)
 damages the lungs of roe deer by building breeding knots on the lung
 surface. Numerical number of detected worm knots. J, K, L (The amount of
 big (&gt;2cm diameter) medium (1-2 cm diameter) and small (&lt;1cm) worm
 knots on the lung surface) M (Varestrongylus_capreolus): Whether the small
 lungworm could be microscopically detected or not\ 1 = yes, could be
 detected; 2 = no, could not be detected N (Number_Larvae_50muL): numerical
 number, amount of Varestrongylus capreoli larvae detected in 50 mycroliter
 of fixating solution. O (Number_Larvae_1g lung): numerical number,
 calculated, amount of Varestrongylus capreoli larvae detected in 1 gramm
 of investigated lung tissue. P (Dictyocaulus_capreolus): Whether the big
 lungworm could be detected or not 1 = yes, could be detected; 2 = no,
 could not be detected; empty = lung could not be investigated Q (Number
 of_D. capreolus): numerical number, amount of Dictyocaulus capreolus
 larvae detected in the lung tissue. **For further information regarding
 the detection of the two lungworms please refer to our Paper's method
 section.**