Red fox and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in humans: Can predators influence public health?

Analysing datasets from hunting statistics and human cases of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), we found a positive correlation between the number of human TBE cases and the number of red fox (Vulpes vulpes). Time lags were also present, indicating that high numbers of red fox in 1 y translated into hi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scandinavian journal of infectious diseases 2008-01, Vol.40 (6-7), p.527-532
Main Authors: Haemig, Paul D., Lithner, Stefan, Sjöstedt de luna, Sara, Lundkvist, Åke, Waldenström, Jonas, Hansson, Lennart, Arneborn, Malin, Olsen, Björn
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Arboviral encephalitis
Arboviroses
Biological and medical sciences
Canis lupus
Clinical Medicine
Disease Reservoirs
Encephalitis, Tick-Borne - epidemiology
Foxes
Human viral diseases
Humans
Infectious diseases
Infectious Medicine
Infektionsmedicin
Klinisk medicin
Lynx
Lynx lynx
Medical and Health Sciences
Medical sciences
MEDICIN
Medicin och hälsovetenskap
MEDICINE
Microbiology
Mikrobiologi
Miscellaneous
Statistics as Topic
Tropical viral diseases
Viral diseases
Vulpes vulpes
Zoonotic Ecology
Zoonotisk ekologi
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Summary:Analysing datasets from hunting statistics and human cases of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), we found a positive correlation between the number of human TBE cases and the number of red fox (Vulpes vulpes). Time lags were also present, indicating that high numbers of red fox in 1 y translated into high numbers of human TBE cases the following y. Results for smaller predators were mixed and inconsistent. Hares and grouse showed negative correlations with human TBE cases, suggesting that they might function as dilution hosts. Combining our findings with food web dynamics, we hypothesize a diversity of possible interactions between predators and human disease - some predators suppressing a given disease, others enhancing its spread, and still others having no effect at all. Larger-sized predators that suppress red fox numbers and activity (i.e. wolf, Canis lupus; European lynx, Lynx lynx) were once abundant in our study area but have been reduced or extirpated from most parts of it by humans. We ask what would happen to red foxes and TBE rates in humans if these larger predators were restored to their former abundances.
ISSN:0036-5548
1651-1980
1651-1980
DOI:10.1080/00365540701805446