New Insights into Gastrointestinal and Pulmonary Parasitofauna of Wild Eurasian lynx (<i>Lynx lynx</i>) in the Harz Mountains of Germany
The Eurasian lynx (<i>Lynx lynx</i>) represents an endangered wild felid species. In Germany, it currently occurs in three isolated populations in and around the Harz Mountains, the Palatinate Forest and the Bavarian Forest. Lynx parasitic infections affect animal health and might have a...
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MDPI AG
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Pathogens |
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| author | Lisa Segeritz Ole Anders Tomma Lilli Middelhoff Deliah Tamsyn Winterfeld Pavlo Maksimov Gereon Schares Franz Josef Conraths Anja Taubert Carlos Hermosilla |
| author_facet | Lisa Segeritz Ole Anders Tomma Lilli Middelhoff Deliah Tamsyn Winterfeld Pavlo Maksimov Gereon Schares Franz Josef Conraths Anja Taubert Carlos Hermosilla |
| author_sort | Lisa Segeritz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Eurasian lynx (<i>Lynx lynx</i>) represents an endangered wild felid species. In Germany, it currently occurs in three isolated populations in and around the Harz Mountains, the Palatinate Forest and the Bavarian Forest. Lynx parasitic infections affect animal health and might have an influence on population performance. Therefore, we investigated the protozoan and helminth fauna of free-ranging Eurasian lynx of the Harz population with emphasis on zoonotic parasites. Individual scat samples (<i>n</i> = 24) were collected from wild animals between 2019 and 2021 in the Harz National Park and surrounding areas. In total, 15 taxa of endoparasites were detected, including seven nematodes (i.e., <i>Aelurostrongylus abstrusus</i>, <i>Angiostrongylus</i> spp., <i>Uncinaria stenocephala</i>, <i>Toxascaris leonina</i>, <i>Toxocara cati</i>, <i>Cylicospirura</i> spp. and <i>Capillaria</i> spp.), one cestode (Diphyllobothriidae) and one trematode (Heterophylidae) as well as six protozoans (i.e., <i>Cystoisospora rivolta</i>, <i>Cystoisospora felis</i>, <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i>/<i>Hammondia</i> spp., <i>Sarcocystis</i> spp., <i>Giardia intestinalis</i> and <i>Cryptosporidium</i> spp.). Moreover, first-stage larvae (L1) of spurious lungworm, <i>Protostrongylus pulmonalis</i>, originating from lagomorph preys were identified. This work represents the first report on patent <i>A. abstrusus</i> and <i>Angiostrongylus</i> spp. infections in wild German Eurasian lynxes. Some of the identified parasites represent relevant pathogens for lynxes, circulating between these carnivorous definitive hosts and a variety of mammalian and invertebrate intermediate hosts, e.g., <i>Sarcocystis</i> spp., <i>T. gondii/Hammondia</i> spp., <i>T. cati</i>, <i>T. leonina</i>, <i>A. abstrusus</i> and <i>Angiostrongylus</i> spp., while others are considered exclusively pathogenic for wild felids (e.g., <i>Cylicospirura</i> spp., <i>C. rivolta</i>, <i>C. felis</i>). This study provides insights in the occurrence of zooanthroponotically relevant metazoan (i.e., <i>T. cati</i> and <i>U. stenocephala</i>) and protozoan (i.e., <i>G. intestinalis</i>) species in free-ranging lynx. The present work should be considered as a baseline study for future monitoring surveys on endoparasites circulating in wild Eurasian lynx for appropriate management practices in lynx conservation strategies in Europe. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:21:35Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0817 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:21:35Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
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| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj.art-8a4bb70897964b3992c8c714dab9fbcc2023-11-23T10:02:04ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172021-12-011012165010.3390/pathogens10121650New Insights into Gastrointestinal and Pulmonary Parasitofauna of Wild Eurasian lynx (<i>Lynx lynx</i>) in the Harz Mountains of GermanyLisa Segeritz0Ole Anders1Tomma Lilli Middelhoff2Deliah Tamsyn Winterfeld3Pavlo Maksimov4Gereon Schares5Franz Josef Conraths6Anja Taubert7Carlos Hermosilla8Institute of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, GermanyHarz National Park, 38855 Wernigerode, GermanyHarz National Park, 38855 Wernigerode, GermanyInstitute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, GermanyInstitute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, GermanyInstitute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, GermanyInstitute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, GermanyInstitute of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, GermanyInstitute of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, GermanyThe Eurasian lynx (<i>Lynx lynx</i>) represents an endangered wild felid species. In Germany, it currently occurs in three isolated populations in and around the Harz Mountains, the Palatinate Forest and the Bavarian Forest. Lynx parasitic infections affect animal health and might have an influence on population performance. Therefore, we investigated the protozoan and helminth fauna of free-ranging Eurasian lynx of the Harz population with emphasis on zoonotic parasites. Individual scat samples (<i>n</i> = 24) were collected from wild animals between 2019 and 2021 in the Harz National Park and surrounding areas. In total, 15 taxa of endoparasites were detected, including seven nematodes (i.e., <i>Aelurostrongylus abstrusus</i>, <i>Angiostrongylus</i> spp., <i>Uncinaria stenocephala</i>, <i>Toxascaris leonina</i>, <i>Toxocara cati</i>, <i>Cylicospirura</i> spp. and <i>Capillaria</i> spp.), one cestode (Diphyllobothriidae) and one trematode (Heterophylidae) as well as six protozoans (i.e., <i>Cystoisospora rivolta</i>, <i>Cystoisospora felis</i>, <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i>/<i>Hammondia</i> spp., <i>Sarcocystis</i> spp., <i>Giardia intestinalis</i> and <i>Cryptosporidium</i> spp.). Moreover, first-stage larvae (L1) of spurious lungworm, <i>Protostrongylus pulmonalis</i>, originating from lagomorph preys were identified. This work represents the first report on patent <i>A. abstrusus</i> and <i>Angiostrongylus</i> spp. infections in wild German Eurasian lynxes. Some of the identified parasites represent relevant pathogens for lynxes, circulating between these carnivorous definitive hosts and a variety of mammalian and invertebrate intermediate hosts, e.g., <i>Sarcocystis</i> spp., <i>T. gondii/Hammondia</i> spp., <i>T. cati</i>, <i>T. leonina</i>, <i>A. abstrusus</i> and <i>Angiostrongylus</i> spp., while others are considered exclusively pathogenic for wild felids (e.g., <i>Cylicospirura</i> spp., <i>C. rivolta</i>, <i>C. felis</i>). This study provides insights in the occurrence of zooanthroponotically relevant metazoan (i.e., <i>T. cati</i> and <i>U. stenocephala</i>) and protozoan (i.e., <i>G. intestinalis</i>) species in free-ranging lynx. The present work should be considered as a baseline study for future monitoring surveys on endoparasites circulating in wild Eurasian lynx for appropriate management practices in lynx conservation strategies in Europe.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/12/1650Eurasian lynx<i>Lynx lynx</i>zoonotic parasites<i>Aelurostrongylus abstrusus</i><i>Angiostrongylus</i> spp. |
| spellingShingle | Lisa Segeritz Ole Anders Tomma Lilli Middelhoff Deliah Tamsyn Winterfeld Pavlo Maksimov Gereon Schares Franz Josef Conraths Anja Taubert Carlos Hermosilla New Insights into Gastrointestinal and Pulmonary Parasitofauna of Wild Eurasian lynx (<i>Lynx lynx</i>) in the Harz Mountains of Germany Pathogens Eurasian lynx <i>Lynx lynx</i> zoonotic parasites <i>Aelurostrongylus abstrusus</i> <i>Angiostrongylus</i> spp. |
| title | New Insights into Gastrointestinal and Pulmonary Parasitofauna of Wild Eurasian lynx (<i>Lynx lynx</i>) in the Harz Mountains of Germany |
| title_full | New Insights into Gastrointestinal and Pulmonary Parasitofauna of Wild Eurasian lynx (<i>Lynx lynx</i>) in the Harz Mountains of Germany |
| title_fullStr | New Insights into Gastrointestinal and Pulmonary Parasitofauna of Wild Eurasian lynx (<i>Lynx lynx</i>) in the Harz Mountains of Germany |
| title_full_unstemmed | New Insights into Gastrointestinal and Pulmonary Parasitofauna of Wild Eurasian lynx (<i>Lynx lynx</i>) in the Harz Mountains of Germany |
| title_short | New Insights into Gastrointestinal and Pulmonary Parasitofauna of Wild Eurasian lynx (<i>Lynx lynx</i>) in the Harz Mountains of Germany |
| title_sort | new insights into gastrointestinal and pulmonary parasitofauna of wild eurasian lynx i lynx lynx i in the harz mountains of germany |
| topic | Eurasian lynx <i>Lynx lynx</i> zoonotic parasites <i>Aelurostrongylus abstrusus</i> <i>Angiostrongylus</i> spp. |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/12/1650 |
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