Molecular detection and distribution of Fascioloides magna and its snail host in Elk Island National Park

Meyers, Olivia

Molecular detection and distribution of Fascioloides magna and its snail host in Elk Island National Park

dc.contributor.advisor	Pruvot, Mathieu
dc.contributor.author	Meyers, Olivia
dc.contributor.committeemember	Kutz, Susan
dc.contributor.committeemember	Gilleard, John
dc.contributor.committeemember	Maraj, Ramona
dc.date	2024-11
dc.date.accessioned	2024-09-24T21:28:12Z
dc.date.available	2024-09-24T21:28:12Z
dc.date.issued	2024-09-20
dc.description.abstract	Giant liver fluke (Fascioloides magna) is a parasitic worm found in wild and domestic ruminants in North America. Infection with F. magna, known as fascioloidiasis, causes liver damage, fibrosis, and inflammation that can negatively impact the fitness of hosts. In Elk Island National Park (EINP), Alberta, Canada, this parasitic disease is suspected to contribute to the ongoing moose population decline. To manage the park’s moose population, fluke control measures, including anthelmintic treatment and environmental control strategies, can reduce the prevalence of fascioloidiasis. However, efficient, targeted interventions require knowledge on the fine-scale distribution of the parasite. In this thesis, I investigated the epidemiology of F. magna to guide an effective and minimally invasive fluke control program in EINP. First, I developed and validated a molecular assay to detect F. magna in freshwater snails. A multiplex qPCR assay was created to specifically target F. magna as well as an internal amplification control endogenous to freshwater snails. I used this assay, along with its constituent singleplex assay, to diagnose F. magna infections in lymnaeid snails from EINP. The singleplex assay proved to be more sensitive than the multiplex, making it a more accurate tool for epidemiological surveys. Stagnicola elodes was identified as an intermediate host species of F. magna in EINP, with an estimated prevalence of 5.8%. Second, I determined the spatial distribution of F. magna and its snail host in EINP and assessed whether environmental factors could predict their occurrence among water bodies. I found that snail hosts for F. magna were generally widespread across the park and were associated with physiochemical and plant-related environmental indicators at water bodies. Snail infections with F. magna were relatively rare, observed at only 12% of sites. Using remote-sensing environmental data, I created fine-scale predictive models to forecast the occurrence of snail hosts and F. magna-infected snails across water bodies. However, these predictive occupancy models demonstrated poor predictive accuracy. This work has contributed a molecular tool for the surveillance of F. magna, explored the utility of ecological niche modeling for the epidemiological control of the parasite, and furthered our understanding of fascioloidiasis in EINP.
dc.identifier.citation	Meyers, O. (2024). Molecular detection and distribution of Fascioloides magna and its snail host in Elk Island National Park (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.
dc.identifier.uri	https://hdl.handle.net/1880/119881
dc.language.iso	en
dc.publisher.faculty	Graduate Studies
dc.publisher.institution	University of Calgary
dc.rights	University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subject	Fascioloides magna
dc.subject	wildlife
dc.subject	quantitative PCR
dc.subject	ecological niche modeling
dc.subject	fine-scale epidemiology
dc.subject.classification	Epidemiology
dc.subject.classification	Veterinary Science
dc.subject.classification	Forestry and Wildlife
dc.title	Molecular detection and distribution of Fascioloides magna and its snail host in Elk Island National Park
dc.type	master thesis
thesis.degree.discipline	Veterinary Medical Sciences
thesis.degree.grantor	University of Calgary
thesis.degree.name	Master of Science (MSc)
ucalgary.thesis.accesssetbystudent	I do not require a thesis withhold – my thesis will have open access and can be viewed and downloaded publicly as soon as possible.