Several caribou (Rangifer tarandus) populations have been declining concurrently with increases in infectious diseases in the Arctic. Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, a zoonotic bacterium, was first described in 2015 as a notable cause of illness and death among several Arctic wildlife species. We investigated epidemiologic and environmental factors associated with the seroprevalence of E. rhusiopathiae in the Arctic and found that seropositivity was highest during warmer months, peaking in September, and was highest among adult males. Summer seroprevalence increases tracked with the oestrid index from the previous year, icing and snowing events, and precipitation from the same year but decreased with growing degree days in the same year. Seroprevalence of E. rhusiopathiae varied more during the later years of the study. Our findings provide key insights into the influence of environmental factors on disease prevalence that can be instrumental for anticipating and mitigating diseases associated with climate change among Arctic wildlife and human populations.

随着北极地区传染病的增加，一些北美驯鹿 ( Rangifer tarandus ) 的种群数量一直在下降。Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae是一种人畜共患细菌，于 2015 年首次被描述为导致几种北极野生动物物种患病和死亡的显着原因。我们调查了与北极红斑梭菌血清阳性率相关的流行病学和环境因素，发现血清阳性率在温暖的月份最高，在 9 月达到峰值，在成年男性中最高。夏季血清阳性率随上年雌雄同体指数、冰雪事件和同年降水量的增加而增加，但随着同年生长期日数的增加而下降。血清阳性率E. rhusiopathiae在研究的后期变化更大。我们的研究结果为环境因素对疾病流行的影响提供了重要见解，这有助于预测和减轻与北极野生动物和人类人口中气候变化相关的疾病。