LUNGWORMS IN WHITE-TAILED DEER OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES*

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1 Journl of Wildlife Diseses Vol. 7, July, LNGWORMS IN WHITETAILED DEER OF THE SOTHEASTERN NITED STATES* ANNIE K. PRESTWOOD, T JAMES F. SMITH, [i nd JOHN 8RWN Southestern oopertive Wildlife Disese Study, ollege of Veterinry Medicine, niversity of Georgi, Athens Abstrct: The lungworm, Dictvoculus viviprus, ws found in 24 (29.8%) of 86 whitetiled deer collected in Albm, Arknss, Florid, Georgi, Kentucky, Louisin, Mrylnd, Mississippi, North rolin, South rolin, Texs, Virgini, nd West Virgini. The infection ws not found in deer of Tennessee nd St. roix of the.s. Virgin Islnds. Lungworm infections vried significntly with seson of collection, ge, nd sex of the host. INTRODTION Whitetiled deer (Odocoileus virgininus) of North Americ hrbor 4 species of dult lungworms, viz. Dictyoculus filri, D. s is iprus, Leptostrongylus lpene, nd Protostrongylus coburni. 2 Of these, D. s is iprus is the most frequently encountered nd hs been recorded from whitetils in Michign,8 Minnesot, New York,#{176}Pennsylvni,3 South Dkot, nd Wisconsin. Despite such widespred distribution in the northern nited Sttes, informtion is not vilble on D. viviprus infections in whitetiled deer elsewhere in this country. Dt re presented herein on the distribution, sesonl bundnce, ge, nd sex vritions ssocited with D. vis iprus mong whitetiled deer of the southestern nited Sttes. MATERIALS AND METHODS From 1961 through erly 197 the lungs of 86 whitetiled deer were exmined for helminths. Animls were collected from 69 counties in 13 southestern sttes (Fig. 1), King ounty, Texs, nd St. roix of the.s. Virgin Islnds. Deer usully were collected by shooting, lthough deer dying of ccidentl nd nturl cuses lso were exmined. Ech seson of the yer ws represented in the smples, nd nimls collected during prticulr seson were pooled regrdless of the yer collected. Ages rnged from 6 months to 9 yers with pproximtely 31 per cent of the deer one yer or less in ge. Nerly twothirds of the deer were femle since they were more numerous on the study sites. rcsses were opened s previously described nd the trche nd lungs removed. The entire bronchil tree ws opened nd the ir pssges serched for helminths. The lungs were then wshed to free worms which my hve been missed. Wshings were flushed through 1 mesh screen nd the retined mteril ws exmined with mgnifiction (3SX). ln the erly prt of the study (196163), prsite burdens were *This study ws supported by n pproprition from the ongress of the nited Sttes. Funds were dministered nd reserch coordinted under the Federl Aid in Wildlife Restortion Act (5 Stt. 917) nd through ontrct Nos nd , Bureu of Sport Fisheries nd Wildlife,.S. Deprtment of the Interior. ifi Deprtment of Prsitology ] Deprtment of Medicl Microbiology

2 15 Journl of Wildlife biseses Vol. 7, July, 1971 D. VIVIPARS PRESENT D. VIVIPARS NOT FOND A. Figure 1. Mp of the southestern nited Sttes showing counties from which whitetied deer were exmined for Iungworms. recorded s light, medium, or hevy. Since tht time ttempts were mde to count ll dult lungworms. Prsites were preserved in formlin or glycerinelcohol nd clered in phenollcohol for identifiction. Two methods of sttisticl nlysis were employed. Incidence ws nlyzed by the method of chisqure, #{176} though we re dvised tht strict ppliction of this test to sets of dt of heterogenous origin my not be vlid. An nlysis of vrince by the method of lest squres* ws mde for dt from ll 668 deer collected in 1963 nd therefter when ctul helminth counts were mde. In this design ech deer ws considered block or replicte nd 3 fctors (seson, ge, sex) were tested for significnce nd interction. Seson ws considered *#{231}mputr enter, niversity of Georgi. niversity of Georgi Lest Squres Anlysis of Vrince, Version of July 12, 1966.

3 Journl of Wildlife Diseses Vol. 7, July, t 4 levels (summer, fll, winter, spring): nd ge t 2 levels, young (1 yer nd younger) nd dult (greter thn 1 yer). Sex ws considered t 2 levels. Since dt on counts of nimls tend to be distributed in mnner which is not norml in the specilized sttisticl sense, squre root trnsformtion ws used in the form,/x +.5? omprisons mong mens were mde with trnsformed vlues using Duncn s new multiple rnge test.2 I Ne1 ri Os r ri c s (.1 s N ri ri c s c s r vs Os s ci 1 O, s ci RESLTS ci c s Dictyoculus vis iprus ws the only mture lungworm found in southestern whitetils nd occurred in Albm, Arknss, Florid, Georgi, Kentucky, Louisin, Mrylnd, Mississippi, North rolin, South rolin, Texs, Virgini, nd West Virgini (Fig. 1). Adult lungworms were not found in limited numbers of deer from Tennessee nd St. roix. Nerly 3 per cent of ll deer hrbored D. vis iprus, with lungworm burdens rnging from 1 to 175. Sesonl vritions in incidence nd numbers of lungworms in young nd dult whitetiled deer re presented in Tbles 1 nd 2. A chisqure test reveled tht the prevlence ws significntly higher in young nimls (35.2 per cent) s compred to dults (27.2 per cent; P <.5), nd in mles (4.6 per cent) s compred to femles (24.4 per cent; P <.1). Differences in helminth burdens ssocited with seson, ge, nd sex were estblished by the nlysis of vrince (Tble 3). A comprison of men D. i is iprus burdens by Duncn s multiple rnge test reveled tht there ws no significnt difference in numbers of worms in spring, summer, or fll, but tht burdens were significntly lower (P <.5) in winter, in dult deer, nd in femles. The bsence of sttisticl interction suggests tht the fctors of seson, ge, nd sex my operte independently. Loclized mild bronchitis nd peribronchitis occsionlly were ssocited with the lower numbers of D. t iviprus encountered in deer virtully free of other pulmonry nemtodes. Verminous pneu I. > 5. > c ). cs 1. E) ri.e.e rl ci r Os S c s c s I r s s r c s c s. if5 N ic s Vs N ce N eqs I I I c s c s c s N I c s * s SI c s s vs 5 s c s c s c s l.. svs I ) 5) (1) ci, 5) Hi ce,i, VS N i (Is N s I I cri c s I c s ci vs vs e I 5 ci

4 152 Journl of Wildlife Diseses Vol. 7, July Tble 2. Averge D. vivprus worm burdens in deer by teson. Winter Spring Summer Fll YoungMles 3.9(12.9)* 7.9(19.9) 1.1 (17.1) 17.4(23.2) YoungFemles 2.4( 9.1) 1.8 (39.2) 5.9(18.4) 8.4(12.9) AdultMles l.2( 4.1).1 ( 1.) 6.6 (15.5) 4.3 ( 8.7) Adult Femles.8 ( 3.8).7 ( 3.4) 3.2 ( 8.9) 1.3 ( 5.4) Overll Averge 1.5 ( 6.5) 4.3 (1.1) 5.4 (13.5) 4.8 (13.6) * numericl verge (verge per infected deer) Tble 3. omprisonm of burdens of D. viviprus in 668 deer, the vlues of prcite numbers trnsformed by the formul /X +.5 Source of Degrees Men Vrition Freedom Squre A=Seson 3 11.* B=Age *: =Sex AB A B AB 3.41 Error LJ Anlysis of vrince lestsqure method * significnt t 5 per cent level of probbility ** significnt t I per cent level of probbility moni of vrying intensity ws not uncommon, however, where hevy infections with unidentified, firststge, protostrongylid lrve (similr to Pneunzostrongylus tenuis lrve) were reveled. Verminous pneumoni, unccompnied by protostrongylid lrve, rrely ws observed. Lesions of uncomplicted D. i iviprus pneumoni therefore were difficult to define. In limited number of deer hving mild protostrongylid infections nd reltively lrge numbers of D. i iviprus, fibrinous pleuritis with dhesions to the thorcic wll, bronchitis nd penbronchitis, with ccompnying excessive exudte in the ir pssges nevertheless were observed. Histologic lesions were similr to those ssocited with lungworm infections in Michign deer.8 DISSSION In mny counties recorded s negtive, only few deer were vilble for study, wheres if more deer hd been exmined, dditionl infections probbly would hve been disclosed. With the techniques used, light lungworm infections lso could hve been missed, nd the counts presented must be considered miniml. This study nevertheless shows tht D. visiprus is widespred in whitetiled deer throughout the Southest, where its occurrence is scttered throughout the costl plin, piedmont, nd mountin physiogrphic provinces. Environmentl fctors fvoring lungworm development were reviewed by Poynter nd Selwy nd Gupt nd

5 Journl of Wildlife Diseses Vol. 7, July, Gibbs. The high incidence of infection therefore ws not surprising when considering the bundnt rinfll nd mild tempertures which previl throughout the southestern region. While studying vritions in lungworm infections mong Quebec cttle, Gupt nd Gibbs#{176}found similr low incidence of D. viviprus in cttle which were exmined during the winter. The prevlence of infection in cttle ws highest in the fll. Although not sttisticlly significnt, D. viviprus infections in southestern deer lso seemed to be more prevlent nd present in higher numbers in the fll. Gupt nd Gibbs ttributed sesonl vritions in incidence of D. iis iprus to climte nd husbndry. The present study suggests tht climte probbly is the predominnt fctor in producing sesonl vritions in prevlence nd burdens of D. vis iprus. Young deer, prticulrly mles, were more frequently infected nd hrbored higher numbers of lungworms thn did dults. The reltively high percentge (27.2 per cent) of dult deer which hrbored D. i iviprus ws somewht surprising; however, periodic reinfection my be necessry to stimulte n immune response. Differentil susceptibility to D. sir i prus infections ssocited with sex of the host hs not been reported, but this phenomenon hs been recorded for vriety of other nemtodes.7 For exmple, filure to estblish high numbers of Aspiculuris tetrpler in mice hs been ttributed to mle sex hormones. 1 2 Gondotropic hormones similrly my influence susceptibility of deer to D. i is iprus infections. Low numbers of D. viviprus pprently re well tolerted by deer, but the pthologic cpbilities of this nemtode cnnot be discounted s substntil mortlity fctor. The uthors therefore feel justified in reiterting tht this regionl study indictes dult lungworm infections to be sesonl, with the lowest prevlence nd intensity of infection occurring in the winter, followed by buildup of infection extending through the fll. Young mle deer concomitntly show the gretest susceptibility to lungworm infection, which suggests n dditionl explntion for the imblnced sex rtios reported in mule deer (Odocoileus Izeinionus) nd observed in some deer herds of the Southest. Future reserch my show tht hunting regultions must tke into considertion this intrinsic host/prsite reltionship. Acknowledgements The uthors would like to thnk Dr. Roy. Anderson, niversity of Guelph, nd Dr. Don W. Hyne, North rolin Stte niversity, for criticl review of this mnuscript. Apprecition lso is expressed to the Southestern Assocition of Gme nd Fish ommissioners, Stte Gme Personnel, nd Sportsmen who cooperted in this study. LITERATRE ITED 1. ANDERSON, R The prsites (helminths nd rthropods) of whitetiled deer. Proc. First Nt l. Deer Disese Symposium, niv. of Georgi, 1315 Februry 1962, p l962b. The helminth nd rthropod prsites of the whitetiled deer (Odocoileus s irgininus): generl review. Tr. Roy. n. Inst. 34: BEADOIN, R. L., W. M. SAMEL, nd. P. A. STROME A comprtive study of the prsites in two popultions of whitetiled deer. J. Wildl. Dis. 6: BODDIKER, M. L. nd E. J. HGGHINS. l969. Prsites of whitetiled nd mule deer in South Dkot. Proc. S. D. Acd. i. 48: nd. l969b. Helminths of big gme mmmls in South Dkot. J. Prsit. 55: HEATM, E. L Disese nd Prsite Investigtions, Finl Report, PittmnRobertson Project 1R, Supplement E, New York onservtion Dept., Albny, pp Mimeo.

6 154 Journl of Wildlife Diseses Vol. 7, July, EHRENFORD, F. A nine scrisis s potentil source of viscerl lrv migrns. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 6: GOBLE, F Tissue chnges in whitetiled deer (Odocoileus sirgiizinus borelis) ccompnying nturl infections of lungworms (Gener Prornstrongylus nd Dictyoculus). J. Wildi. Mgt. 5: GPTA, R. P. nd H.. GIBBS Studies on the incidence of lungworm (Dictyoculus viviprus, Bloch, 1782) in Quebec cttle. n. Vet. J. 1: HNTSBERGER, D. V Elements of sttisticl inference. Allyn nd Bcon, Inc., Boston, 291 p. 11. MATHIES, A. W., JR. l959. ertin spects of the hostprsite reltionship of Aspiculuris tetrpter, mouse pinworm. I. Host specificity nd ge resistnce. Exp. Prsit. 8: b. ertin spects of the hostprsite reltionship of Aspiculuris tetrpter, mouse pinworm. II. Sex resistnce. Exp. Prsit. 8: OLSEN,. W. nd R. FENSTERMAHER The helminths of North Americn Deer. Tech. Bull Minn. Agr. Exp. St. 2 pp. 14. O ROKE, E The lungworm sitution in the whitetiled deer (Odocoileus s irgininus borelis) in Michign. Proc. N. Am. Wildl. onf. 1: PAYNE, R. L Preliminry investigtions on reproduction in whitetiled deer (Odocoileus s irgininus) of the Svnnh River Plnt, South rolin. M.S. Thesis, niv. of Georgi. 43 p. 16. POYNTER, D. nd SIMONE SELWAY Diseses cused by lungworms. Helminthol. Abs. 35: PRESTWOOD, ANNIE K., J. F. SMITH, nd W. E. MAHAN Geogrphic distribution of Gongylonenz pulchrum, Gongylonein s errucosum, nd Prmphistornuin liorchis in whitetiled deer of the southestern nited Sttes. J. Prsit. 56: ROBINETTE, W. L., J. S. GASHWILER, J. B. LOW, nd D. A. JONES Differentil mortlity by sex nd ge mong mule deer. J. Wildl. Mgt. 21: SAMEL, W. M. nd R. L. BEADOIN Evlution of two survey methods for detection of helminth infections in whitetiled deer (Odocoileus virgininus). Bull. Wildl. Dis. Ass. 2: nd D.. TRAINER A technique for survey of some helminth nd protozon infections of whitetiled deer. J. Wildl. Mgt. 33: STEEL, R. G. nd J. H. TORRIE Principles nd procedures of sttistics. McGrwHill Book o., Inc., New York. 481 p. 22. TABER, R. D. nd R. F. DASMANN A sex difference in mortlity in young olumbin blcktiled deer. J. Wildl. Mgt. 18: WHITLOK, S The prevlence of disese nd prsites in whitetiled deer. Trns. N. Am. WildI. onf. 4: Received for publiction December 15, 197