Editing Coyote (section)

==Diseases and parasites==
[[File:Mangy coyote Año Nuevo State Park.jpg|thumb|California valley coyote (''C. l. ochropus'') suffering from [[sarcoptic mange]]]]
Among large North American carnivores, the coyote probably carries the largest number of diseases and parasites, likely due to its wide range and varied diet.<ref name="young107">{{Harvnb|Young|Jackson|1978|pp=107–114}}</ref> [[Viral diseases]] known to infect coyotes include [[rabies]], [[canine distemper]], [[infectious canine hepatitis]], four strains of [[equine encephalitis]], and [[Oral florid papillomatosis|oral papillomatosis]]. By the late 1970s, serious rabies outbreaks in coyotes had ceased to be a problem for over 60 years, though sporadic cases every 1–5 years did occur. Distemper causes the deaths of many pups in the wild, though some specimens can survive infection. ''[[Tularemia]]'', a [[bacterial disease]], infects coyotes from tick bites and through their rodent and lagomorph prey, and can be deadly for pups.<ref name="gier1978">{{cite book|last1= Gier|first1=H. T. |last2=Kruckenberg|first2=S. M. |last3=Marler|first3=R. J. |year=1978|chapter=Parasites and diseases of coyotes|pages=37–71|editor1-first=M. |editor1-last=Bekoff|title=Coyotes: biology, behavior, and management|publisher=Academic Press |location=New York|isbn=978-1-930665-42-2|oclc=52626838}}</ref>

Coyotes can be infected by both [[Demodicosis|demodectic]] and [[sarcoptic mange]], the latter being the most common. [[Mite]] infestations are rare and incidental in coyotes, while [[tick]] infestations are more common, with seasonal peaks depending on locality (May–August in the Northwest, March–November in Arkansas). Coyotes are only rarely infested with [[Louse|lice]], while [[flea]]s infest coyotes from puphood, though they may be more a source of irritation than serious illness. ''[[Pulex|Pulex simulans]]'' is the most common species to infest coyotes, while ''[[Ctenocephalides canis]]'' tends to occur only in places where coyotes and dogs (its primary host) inhabit the same area. Although coyotes are rarely host to [[Trematoda|fluke]]s, they can nevertheless have serious effects on coyotes, particularly ''[[Nanophyetus salmincola]]'', which can infect them with [[salmon poisoning disease]], a disease with a 90% mortality rate. Trematode ''[[Metorchis conjunctus]]'' can also infect coyotes.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Chai|first1=J. Y.|last2=Darwin|first2=Murrell K.|last3=Lymbery|first3=A. J.|year=2005| title=Fish-borne parasitic zoonoses: Status and issues|journal=International Journal for Parasitology|volume=35|issue=11–12|pages=1233–1254|doi=10.1016/j.ijpara.2005.07.013|pmid=16143336}}</ref> 

[[Tapeworm]]s have been recorded to infest 60–95% of all coyotes examined. The most common species to infest coyotes are ''[[Taenia pisiformis]]'' and ''[[Taenia crassiceps]]'', which uses cottontail rabbits and rodents as intermediate hosts. The largest species known in coyotes is ''[[Taenia hydatigena|T. hydatigena]]'', which enters coyotes through infected [[ungulates]], and can grow to lengths of {{convert|80|to|400|cm|in|abbr=on}}. Although once largely limited to wolves, ''[[Echinococcus granulosus]]'' has expanded to coyotes since the latter began colonizing former wolf ranges.<ref name="gier1978"/>

The most frequent [[Ascarididae|ascaroid]] roundworm in coyotes is ''[[Toxascaris leonina]]'', which dwells in the coyote's small intestine and has no ill effects, except for causing the host to eat more frequently. [[Hookworm]]s of the genus ''[[Ancylostoma]]'' infest coyotes throughout their range, being particularly prevalent in humid areas. In areas of high moisture, such as coastal Texas, coyotes can carry up to 250 hookworms each. The blood-drinking ''[[Ancylostoma caninum|A. caninum]]'' is particularly dangerous, as it damages the coyote through blood loss and lung congestion. A 10-day-old pup can die from being host to as few as 25 ''A. caninum'' worms.<ref name="gier1978"/>