Publications by authors named "Mebuki Ito"
Article Synopsis
- Invasive raccoons in Hokkaido, Japan, are potential carriers of the canine distemper virus, with a study analyzing 611 serum samples revealing higher infection rates in 2007, 2021, and 2022 compared to 2008-2012, indicating outbreak occurrences during those years.
- Logistic regression showed that raccoon population density and environmental factors, like residential area ratios, were linked to seropositivity rates, particularly highlighting changes over the years from forest to residential areas.
- Ongoing monitoring and improved raccoon control efforts are crucial to prevent disease spread to native wildlife like raccoon dogs and foxes, as well as to protect domestic dogs from health risks.
Yezo virus (YEZV) is an emerging tick-borne virus that causes acute febrile illness. It has been continuously reported in patients and ticks in Japan and China since its first identification in Hokkaido, Japan. While serological tests have demonstrated that YEZV infections are prevalent in wild animals, such as raccoons (Procyon lotor), the determinants of infection in wild animals remain largely unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRevealing interactions between ticks and wild animals is vital for gaining insights into the dynamics of tick-borne pathogens in the natural environment. We aimed to elucidate the factors that determine tick infestation in wild animals by investigating ticks on invasive raccoons (Procyon lotor) in Hokkaido, Japan. We first examined the composition, intensity, and seasonal variation of ticks infesting raccoons in six study areas in Hokkaido from March 2022 to August 2023.
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