Risk Factors for New Zealand Sea Lion (Phocarctos hookeri) Pup Mortality: Ivermectin Improves Survival for Conservation Management

Michael SA; Hayman DTS; Gray R; Roe WD

Risk Factors for New Zealand Sea Lion (Phocarctos hookeri) Pup Mortality: Ivermectin Improves Survival for Conservation Management

dc.citation.volume	8
dc.contributor.author	Michael SA
dc.contributor.author	Hayman DTS
dc.contributor.author	Gray R
dc.contributor.author	Roe WD
dc.contributor.editor	Davis RW
dc.date.accessioned	2024-01-31T20:13:10Z
dc.date.accessioned	2024-07-25T06:40:06Z
dc.date.available	2021-07-09
dc.date.available	2024-01-31T20:13:10Z
dc.date.available	2024-07-25T06:40:06Z
dc.date.issued	2021-07-09
dc.description.abstract	Septicaemia due to hypervirulent (HV) Klebsiella pneumoniae is the leading cause of neonatal pup mortality in endangered New Zealand sea lions (Phocarctos hookeri) at Enderby Island, in the New Zealand sub-Antarctic. Accounting for approximately 60% of annual pup mortality at this site following an epizootic event in 2001–02, HV K. pneumoniae is also emerging worldwide as a significant community-acquired human pathogen. To facilitate efficient direct mitigation to reduce pup mortality, a case-control study and prospective cohort study were conducted to identify risk factors amenable to active management. Additionally, to investigate impacts of hookworm (Uncinaria spp.), a nested treatment trial with the anthelmintic ivermectin was undertaken concurrently. During two austral summer field seasons (2016–2018), 698 pups were captured for treatment trial recruitment and the collection of morphometric measurements, biological samples and risk factor data. Gastrointestinal carriage of the virulent phenotype of K. pneumoniae was a consistent risk factor, while ivermectin treatment and higher body condition index consistently reduced risk of HV K. pneumoniae mortality. Significantly fewer ivermectin-treated pups were found dead (24.1% control, 11.1% treatment), with a trend towards a higher proportion of HV K. pneumoniae deaths amongst the control group. This study provides evidence to support ivermectin treatment as a pup mortality mitigation strategy in New Zealand sea lions at Enderby Island. If applied to larger colonies where HV K. pneumoniae and hookworm impact pup survival, this intervention could have population-scale benefits for this endangered species. Further work is required to understand how ivermectin prevents HV K. pneumoniae septicaemia, but removal of hookworms before intestinal mucosal damage occurs could limit systemic spread of virulent bacteria from the gastrointestinal tract.
dc.description.confidential	false
dc.edition.edition	July 2021
dc.identifier.author-url	http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000677653200001&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=c5bb3b2499afac691c2e3c1a83ef6fef
dc.identifier.citation	Michael SA, Hayman DTS, Gray R, Roe WD. (2021). Risk Factors for New Zealand Sea Lion (Phocarctos hookeri) Pup Mortality: Ivermectin Improves Survival for Conservation Management. Frontiers in Marine Science. 8.
dc.identifier.doi	10.3389/fmars.2021.680678
dc.identifier.eissn	2296-7745
dc.identifier.elements-type	journal-article
dc.identifier.number	ARTN 680678
dc.identifier.uri	https://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/70646
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	Frontiers Media S.A.
dc.publisher.uri	https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.680678/full
dc.relation.isPartOf	Frontiers in Marine Science
dc.rights	(c) The author/s	en
dc.rights.license	CC BY 4.0	en
dc.rights.uri	https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/	en
dc.subject	case-control study
dc.subject	ivermectin
dc.subject	Klebsiella pneumoniae
dc.subject	pinniped
dc.subject	risk factor
dc.subject	hypervirulent
dc.title	Risk Factors for New Zealand Sea Lion (Phocarctos hookeri) Pup Mortality: Ivermectin Improves Survival for Conservation Management
dc.type	Journal article
pubs.elements-id	447962
pubs.organisational-group	Other