| Title |
The Fecal Odor of Sick Hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) Mediates Olfactory Attraction of the Tick Ixodes hexagonus
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
Journal of Chemical Ecology, March 2011
|
| DOI | 10.1007/s10886-011-9936-1 |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Toni Bunnell, Kerstin Hanisch, Jörg D. Hardege, Thomas Breithaupt |
| Abstract |
Parasite loads of animals vary among individuals, but the underlying mechanisms have not been fully identified. Here, we investigated whether health status of hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) is correlated with tick burden, and whether chemical cues linked to the health status of the host mediate attraction of the tick Ixodes hexagonus. An ecological survey conducted over 10 years, involving 226 wild hedgehogs, revealed a strong association between health status and tick burden of hedgehogs, with healthy animals being less likely to carry ticks than unhealthy ones. Behavioral choice tests demonstrated that ticks display a preference for the fecal odor from sick hedgehogs compared with healthy ones. Chemical analysis of fecal odors using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry showed differences in the odor profile between sick and healthy hedgehogs. Sick animals tended to exhibit raised levels of the volatile aromatic heterocyclic compound indole in their feces. Ticks were attracted to indole when given the choice between indole and a solvent control. However, fecal matter from healthy hosts, with the addition of indole, was not attractive to ticks, suggesting that indole interacts with other, undetected compounds in mediating attraction. This study implies that it is the attraction to fecal odor that causes higher tick burdens in sick hedgehogs. Ticks might benefit from this preference by avoiding possible repulsion mechanisms of healthy hosts. We suggest that ticks potentially choose their host based on odor linked to the host's health status. |
X Demographics
The data shown below were collected from the profile of 1 X user who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 1 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Science communicators (journalists, bloggers, editors) | 1 | 100% |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 73 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 1 | 1% |
| Hungary | 1 | 1% |
| Unknown | 71 | 97% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 16 | 22% |
| Researcher | 13 | 18% |
| Student > Bachelor | 8 | 11% |
| Student > Master | 7 | 10% |
| Student > Doctoral Student | 6 | 8% |
| Other | 14 | 19% |
| Unknown | 9 | 12% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 40 | 55% |
| Veterinary Science and Veterinary Medicine | 5 | 7% |
| Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 4 | 5% |
| Environmental Science | 3 | 4% |
| Unspecified | 2 | 3% |
| Other | 6 | 8% |
| Unknown | 13 | 18% |
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 1. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 02 June 2013.
All research outputs
#18,340,012
of 22,711,645 outputs
Outputs from Journal of Chemical Ecology
#1,746
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Outputs of similar age
#95,367
of 108,793 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Journal of Chemical Ecology
#10
of 13 outputs
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