Juliana
Aristizabal
Sponsor: Jane Sykes, D.V.M.,Ph.D. VM: Medicine & Epidemiology Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal disease caused by Coccidioides spp. that threatens animal and human health. This study investigates risk factors associated with Coccidioides seroreactivity in dogs. A total of 887,764 dogs tested for anti-Coccidioides antibodies at 7 laboratories from January 2012 to August 2023 were included, with a test positivity rate of 36.9%. Univariate analyses were conducted to examine the association between sex, age, breed, size and Coccidioides seroreactivity. Females (OR 0.91, 95%CI: 0.90, 0.92) were less likely to test positive compared to males. Young dogs (1-2yrs; OR 0.94, 95% CI: 0.93, 0.95) and old dogs (10-15yrs; OR 0.59, 95% CI: 0.58, 0.60) had lower odds compared to middle aged dogs (5-10yrs). Large (OR 1.94, 95% CI: 1.93, 1.95) and medium (OR 2.09, 95% CI: 2.08, 2.10) breed dogs had higher odds of testing positive compared to smaller breed dogs. These results suggest that selected signalment factors may influence Coccidioides seroreactivity. Further research, including multivariable analysis, is crucial to identify interactions between biological and environmental factors which might influence seroreactivity. These insights could guide preventive strategies, including disease surveillance and management of high-risk dog populations. Influence of Parasitism on Condition Factor of Speckled Dace (Rhinichthys osculus)
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Juliana Aristizabal
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Parasites are a common feature of animal populations and ecosystems, but few studies investigate the physiological and ecological impacts of parasites. In this study, we investigate tapeworm parasitism in a common fish species (Speckled Dace, Rhinichthys osculus) across Sierra Nevada glacial lakes. In total, we sampled and performed dissections on 92 speckled dace from 10 Sierra Nevada alpine lakes to quantify 1) parasite prevalence; and 2) influence of parasitism on fish condition factor (K). Preliminary results revealed 38% of dace were parasitized by tapeworms, of which 31.4% hosted multiple tapeworm parasites. On average, parasites were responsible for 20.6% of host fish weight. This contribution of parasite weight towards total fish weight could significantly bias estimates of condition factor. For example, once accounted for, condition factor values were, on average, 21% lower than original calculations. Since condition factor is a standard index used to estimate fish health, parasitism might lead to inaccurate assessments; fish biologists may mistakenly claim that fish are in "good condition" when, in reality, they are in "poor condition". Parasites should likely be considered when using condition factor to manage fish populations in freshwater systems. Drought Resistance in Mimulus Guttatus Terme Arjomand
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UC Davis / Wildlife & Fisheries Biology / 2025
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Juliana Aristizabal