DOI: 10.5061/dryad.08kprr58f
title: Data from: Variation in prevalence and intensity of macroparasites in moose and their interactions with winter tick load in eastern Canada

description: Wild animals are infected with a large diversity and abundance of
 parasites that can affect their behavior, growth, body condition, and
 ultimately their survival. Although the adverse effects of parasites and
 the mechanisms involved in the interactions between a host and its
 parasites are generally well studied, much less is known about the
 additive or synergistic effects of multiple parasite species on a host.
 Moose populations in eastern Canada are infected by several species of
 endoparasites. In the last decades, the intensity of infestations by
 winter ticks, an ectoparasite, on moose have increased as a result of
 increased moose densities and favorable weather conditions that benefit
 winter tick survival. We aimed to document the diversity, intensity,
 prevalence, and distribution of different parasite species of moose in
 southern Quebec, Canada. We then evaluated the potential interaction
 between winter tick and endoparasites of moose, and we evaluated the
 effect of the simultaneous presence of ticks and endoparasites on moose
 body condition. To do so, we collected organs to identify and count
 endoparasite species, estimate winter tick abundance, and measure
 subcutaneous fat thickness from 174 hunted moose in fall 2019 in 8 regions
 of Quebec. Our results showed that the prevalence and intensity of winter
 tick and gastrointestinal parasites differed among regions, as well as the
 prevalence of the heart parasite Taenia krabbei and the intensity of lung
 parasite Echinoccocus granulosus. Moose body condition, however, was not
 influenced by the simultaneous presence of winter tick and endoparasites.
 The documentation of the interactive effects of multiple parasite species
 on a host is fundamental given that future environmental conditions in
 temperate climate will favor the reproduction, development, and survival
 of several parasite species, which could affect parasite diversity and
 abundance in the environment and modify host-parasite dynamics.
description: We conducted winter tick counts on the carcasses of moose
 harvested during the sport hunting season between 5 September and 19
 November 2019 (n = 174) among 8 regions in Quebec (Canada). We estimated
 the number of winter tick per moose by counting tick larvae just after
 harvesting on three body parts (shoulder, wither, and buttock on one side
 of the animal) along four 10 cm vertical transects spaced 2 cm apart on
 each body part (total of 12 transects) (Sine et al. 2009). We used the
 total number of <em>D. albipictus </em>counted along the 12
 transects as an indicator of moose winter tick load for statistical
 analyses. We collected the heart (n = 99), lungs (n =
 126), brain (n = 95), liver (n = 114), and distal intestine (n = 97) of
 hunted moose whenever possible and kept them frozen until laboratory
 analyses. We cut all the organs collected into one-centimeter-thick
 slices. Each slice was observed in the laboratory to identify and count
 all macroparasites present in each organ. We isolated pieces of brain
 containing the lesions suspected to be caused by meningeal worms
 (<em>Parelaphostrongylus tenuis</em>) and preserved them in
 formalin to be analyzed at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of
 Université de Montréal. Because we only found one meningeal worm, we did
 not include this parasite in the statistical analyses. We isolated
 intestinal contents so that larvae and eggs of gastrointestinal parasites
 could be recovered, identified, and counted following a modified Wisconsin
 approach at the AVVLD-accredited Animal Parasitology Reference center of
 University of Montréal (Dryden et al. 2005). Briefly, samples were
 centrifuged at 1650 × g for 5 min, resuspended in saturated sucrose
 (Fisher Chemical, Canada), centrifuged at 650 × g for 2 min, and flotation
 was performed for 1 h at room temperature. The coverslip was then removed
 and rinsed with 1 mL of 1 × Phosphate-Buffered Saline (PBS) to collect the
 eggs. Eggs were identified and counted by a certified parasitology
 technician. We used subcutaneous fat thickness (mm) of
 moose to assess body condition (Cook et al. 2010). We measured
 subcutaneous fat thickness in the middle of an incision in the skin
 between the hip bone and the ischium (Cook et al. 2010). We noted the sex
 of each moose, and we collected their lower jaw incisors to determine age
 by counting the number of cementum annuli (Sergeant and Pimlott
 1959).
 <strong>References</strong> Cook,
 R. C., Cook, J. G., Stephenson, T. R., Myers, W. L., McCorquodale, S. M.,
 Vales, D. J., Irwin, L. L., Hall, P. B., Spencer, R. D., Murphie, S. L.,
 Schoenecker, K. A., and Miller, P. J. 2010. Revisions of rump fat and body
 scoring indices for deer, elk, and moose. Journal of Wildlife Management
 74: 880–896. Dryden, M. W., Payne, P. A., Ridley, R.,
 and Smith, V. 2005. Comparison of common fecal flotation techniques for
 the recovery of parasite eggs and oocysts. Veterinary
 Therapeutics 6: 15–28. Sergeant, D. E., and Pimlott, D.
 H. 1959. Age determination in moose from sectioned incisor teeth.  Journal
 of Wildlife Management 23: 315–321. Sine, M., Morris,
 K., and Knupp, D. 2009. Assessment of a line transect field method to
 determine winter tick abundance on moose. Alces 45: 143–146.
description: # Variation in prevalence and intensity of macroparasites in moose and
 their interactions with winter tick load in eastern Canada
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.08kprr58f](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.08kprr58f) We aimed to document the diversity, intensity, prevalence, and distribution of different parasite species of moose in southern Quebec, Canada. We then evaluated the potential interaction between winter tick and endoparasites of moose, and we evaluated the effect of the simultaneous presence of ticks and endoparasites on moose body condition. To do so, we collected organs to identify and count endoparasite species, estimate winter tick abundance, and measure subcutaneous fat thickness from 174 hunted moose in fall 2019 in 8 regions of Quebec. Our results showed that the prevalence and intensity of winter tick and gastrointestinal parasites differed among regions, as well as the prevalence of the heart parasite Taenia krabbei and the intensity of lung parasite Echinoccocus granulosus. Moose body condition, however, was not influenced by the simultaneous presence of winter tick and endoparasites. The dataset used for this article contains hunting area and sampling date of all 174 hunted moose. It also contains information about their body condition, such as their sex, age and subcutaneous fat thickness. Finally, the dataset include all endoparasite specie counted in all collected organs and their winter tick load. ## Description of the data and file structure **Moose ID** It is a single ID for each hunted moose, with the date of sampling, the region where they were hunted and the sample number. Exemple : m2019ab001 m = moose 2019 = year of sampling ab = abitibi 001 = first sampled moose **Region** The region where moose was hunted. **Year** The year when moose was hunted. **Month** The month when moose was hunted. **Day** The day when moose was hunted. **Moose density** The moose population density (number of moose/10 km²) in each region where moose was hunted. **Presence (1)/absence (0) of wolves** 1 = Presence of wolves in the region where moose was hunted. 0 = Absence of wolves in the region where moose was hunted. **Age** Age (in year) of hunted moose, based on the number of cementum annuli in their lower jaw incisors. **Sex** Sex of hunted moose. f = female m = male **Subcutaneous fat thickness** Thickness (cm) of the subcutaneous fat of hunted moose, as an indicator of moose body condition. We measured subcutaneous fat thickness in the middle of an incision in the skin between the hip bone and the ischium. **Mean number of ticks per transect** The number in this column represents the mean number of winter tick counted on hunted moose. We estimated the number of winter tick per moose by counting tick larvae just after harvesting on three body parts (shoulder, wither, and buttock on one side of the animal) along four 10 cm vertical transects spaced 2 cm apart on each body part (total of 12 transects). **Total number of ticks** The number in this column represents total number of winter tick counted on those 12 transects on hunted moose. **Presence (1)/absence (0) of ticks** 1 = Presence of winter ticks on the 12 transects on hunted moose. 0 = Absence of winter ticks on the 12 transects on hunted moose. ***Moniezia***** spp.** *Moniezia* spp. is a gastrointestinal parasite. The number in this column represents the number of eggs of this parasite found in feces of hunted moose. ***Nematodirus***** spp.** *Nematodirus* spp. is a gastrointestinal parasite. The number in this column represents the number of eggs of this parasite found in feces of hunted moose. **Strongyles** Strongyle is a gastrointestinal parasite. The number in this column represents the number of eggs of this parasite found in feces of hunted moose. ***Trichuris***** spp.** *Trichuris* spp. is a gastrointestinal parasite. The number in this column represents the number of eggs of this parasite found in feces of hunted moose. **Coccidia** Coccidia is a gastrointestinal parasite. The number in this column represents the number of eggs of this parasite found in feces of hunted moose. **Total number of gastrointestinal worms** It is the sum of eggs of all 5 gastrointestinal parasites found in feces of hunted moose. **Presence (1)/absence (0) of gastrointestinal worms** 1= Presence of gastrointestinal eggs in feces of hunted moose. 0= Absence of gastrointestinal eggs in feces of hunted moose. ***Taenia krabbei*** *Taenia krabbei* is a parasite found in the heart of moose. The number in this column represents the number of this parasite found in the heart of hunted moose. **Presence (1)/absence (0) of *Taenia krabbei*** 1= Presence of *Taenia krabbei* in the heart of hunted moose. 0= Absence of *Taenia krabbei* in the heart of hunted moose. ***Fasciola hepatica*** *Fasciola hepatica* is a parasite found in the liver of moose. The number in this column represents the number of this parasite found in the liver of hunted moose. ***Taenia hydatigena*** *Taenia hydatigena* is a parasite found in the liver of moose. The number in this column represents the number of this parasite found in the liver of hunted moose. **Presence (1)/absence (0) of *Taenia hydatigena*** 1= Presence of *Taenia hydatigena* in the liver of hunted moose. 0= Absence of *Taenia hydatigena* in the liver of hunted moose. ***Dictyocaulus viviparus*** *Dictyocaulus viviparus* is a parasite found in the lungs of moose. The number in this column represents the number of this parasite found in the lungs of hunted moose. **Presence (1)/absence (0) of *Dictyocaulus viviparus*** 1= Presence of *Dictyocaulus viviparus* in the lungs of hunted moose. 0= Absence of *Dictyocaulus viviparus* in the lungs of hunted moose. ***Echinococcus granulosus*** *Echinococcus granulosus* is a parasite found in the lungs of moose. The number in this column represents the number of this parasite found in the lungs of hunted moose. **Presence (1)/absence (0) of *Echinococcus granulosus*** 1= Presence of *Echinococcus granulosus* in the lungs of hunted moose. 0= Absence of *Echinococcus granulosus* in the lungs of hunted moose. ***Parelaphostrongylus tenius*** *Parelaphostrongylus tenius* is a parasite found in the brain of moose. The number in this column represents the number of this parasite found in the brain of hunted moose. **Total number of endoparasites** It is the sum of all parasite species found in all collected organs of the hunted moose. NB: We write NA when we did not have the information for a variable. For example, for some hunted moose, we did not have all the organs we needed, so we were not able to count the number of parasites in the missing organ. ## Sharing/Access information We only used our own dataset for this article. ## Code/Software All statistical analyses were performed in R 4.0.2. Since all details considering our statistical analyses are well described in the article, we decided not to share our code.