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1 January 2015 INFLUENCE OF LAND USE AND CLIMATE ON SALMONELLA CARRIER STATUS IN THE SMALL INDIAN MONGOOSE (HERPESTES AUROPUNCTATUS) IN GRENADA, WEST INDIES
Steven Miller, Ulrike Zieger, Claudia Ganser, S. Andrew Satterlee, Brittany Bankovich, Victor Amadi, Harry Hariharan, Diana Stone, Samantha M. Wisely
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Abstract

Invasive mammals can be important reservoirs for human pathogens. A recent study showed that 12% of mongooses carried Salmonella spp. in their large intestines. We investigated whether anthropogenic, environmental and climatic variables predicted Salmonella status in mongooses (Herpestes auropunctatus) in Grenada. Using multivariate logistic regression and contingency table analysis, we found that increased human density, decreased distance from roads, and low monthly precipitation were associated with increased probability of Salmonella carriage. Areas with higher human density likely support a higher abundance of mongooses because of greater food availability. These areas also are a likely source for infection to mongooses due to high densities of livestock and rodents shedding Salmonella. The higher probability of Salmonella carriage in mongooses during drier months and closer to roadsides is likely due to water drainage patterns and limited water availability. Although the overall prevalence of Salmonella in mongooses was moderate, the strong patterns of ecologic correlates, combined with the high density of mongooses throughout Grenada suggest that the small Indian mongoose could be a useful sentinel for Salmonella surveillance. Its affinity for human-associated habitats suggests that the small Indian mongoose is also a risk factor in the maintenance and possible spread of Salmonella species to humans and livestock in Grenada.

Wildlife Disease Association 2015
Steven Miller, Ulrike Zieger, Claudia Ganser, S. Andrew Satterlee, Brittany Bankovich, Victor Amadi, Harry Hariharan, Diana Stone, and Samantha M. Wisely "INFLUENCE OF LAND USE AND CLIMATE ON SALMONELLA CARRIER STATUS IN THE SMALL INDIAN MONGOOSE (HERPESTES AUROPUNCTATUS) IN GRENADA, WEST INDIES," Journal of Wildlife Diseases 51(1), 60-68, (1 January 2015). https://doi.org/10.7589/2014-02-046
Received: 22 February 2014; Accepted: 1 May 2014; Published: 1 January 2015
KEYWORDS
disease ecology
Herpestes auropunctatus
invasive species
mongoose
Salmonella enterica
sentinel species
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