##  [Widespread Exposure to Mosquitoborne California Serogroup Viruses in Caribou, Arctic Fox, Red Fox, and Polar Bears, Canada](/resource/widespread-exposure-mosquitoborne-california-serogroup-viruses-caribou-arctic-fox-red-fox) 

Organization

[University of Saskatchewan (UofS)](/organization/university-saskatchewan-uofs)

 

 

Resource Type

[Peer reviewed article](/taxonomy/term/37)

 

 

Author(s)

Kayla Buhler

Antonia Dibernardo

Nicholas Pilfold

Jane Harms

Heather Fenton

Suzanne Carriere

Allicia Kelly

Helen Schwantje

Xavier Fernandez Aguilar

Lisa-Marie Leclerc

Geraldine Gouin

Nicholas Lunn

Evan Richardson

David McGeachy

Émilie Bouchard

Adrián Hernández Ortiz

Gustaf Samelius

Robbin Lindsay

Michael Drebot

Patricia Gaffney

Patrick Leighton

Ray Alisauskas

Emily Jenkins

 

 

Original Authors

Kayla Buhler

Antonia Dibernardo

Nicholas Pilfold

Jane Harms

Heather Fenton

Suzanne Carriere

Allicia Kelly

Helen Schwantje

Xavier Fernandez Aguilar

Lisa-Marie Leclerc

Geraldine Gouin

Nicholas Lunn

Evan Richardson

David McGeachy

Émilie Bouchard

Adrián Hernández Ortiz

Gustaf Samelius

Robbin Lindsay

Michael Drebot

Patricia Gaffney

Patrick Leighton

Ray Alisauskas

Emily Jenkins

 

 

Resource Date:

2023

 

Page Length

10

 

 

Northern Canada is warming at 3 times the global rate. Thus, changing diversity and distribution of vectors and pathogens is an increasing health concern. California serogroup (CSG) viruses are mosquitoborne arboviruses; wildlife reservoirs in northern ecosystems have not been identified. We detected CSG virus antibodies in 63% (95% CI 58%-67%) of caribou (n = 517), 4% (95% CI 2%-7%) of Arctic foxes (n = 297), 12% (95% CI 6%-21%) of red foxes (n = 77), and 28% (95% CI 24%-33%) of polar bears (n = 377). Sex, age, and summer temperatures were positively associated with polar bear exposure; location, year, and ecotype were associated with caribou exposure. Exposure was highest in boreal caribou and increased from baseline in polar bears after warmer summers. CSG virus exposure of wildlife is linked to climate change in northern Canada and sustained surveillance could be used to measure human health risks.