Raccoons in Europe: disease hazards due to the establishment of an invasive species |
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Authors: | Beatriz Beltrán-Beck Francisco José García Christian Gortázar |
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Institution: | 1.Instituto de Investigación en Recursos cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM),Ciudad Real,Spain;2.Biogeography, Diversity, and Conservation Research Team, Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Sciences,University of Malaga,Málaga,Spain |
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Abstract: | From the past, species have been transferred among ecosystems trough traveling and global trade. The establishment and spread
of such invasive species has caused significant damage to the economy, the environment, and human or native species health.
This review compiles information on infections or contact with pathogens reported in raccoons (Procyon lotor). Raccoons are opportunistic carnivores native to North America. However, nowadays they are distributed across mainland Europe
as a result of escaped pets and introductions. In their native range, raccoons are known to be host to a number of disease
agents that could be transmitted to humans, domestic animals and other wildlife. Hence, the increase of raccoon populations
and their geographic spread in Europe may result in new disease hazards. Raccoons have been identified as possible sentinels
of diseases such as West Nile virus, and they pose a disease-related conservation risk by maintaining circulation of canine
distemper virus. They also have the potential to participate in the maintenance of zoonoses including the raccoon roundworm
Baylisascaris procyonis. Due its fast expansion and the large list of diseases, we conclude that the introduction of the raccoon has had adverse
effects on health in Europe. This might well be the case of other invasive species, too. Hence, studies on invasive species
health aspects are urgently needed to assess the risk of disease spread and eventually establish control measures. |
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