Disease Surveillance during the Reintroduction of the Iberian Lynx (<i>Lynx pardinus</i>) in Southwestern Spain
The restoration of Iberian lynx (<i>Lynx pardinus</i>) populations in Extremadura (Southwestern Spain) have been carried out since 2014. One of the measures to ensure the success of this program is to examine the effects that diseases may have on reintroduction. Since diseases may be gre...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/2/547 |
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| author | Fernando Nájera Rebeca Grande-Gómez Jorge Peña Anastasio Vázquez María Jesús Palacios Carmen Rueda Ana Isabel Corona-Bravo Irene Zorrilla Luis Revuelta María Gil-Molino José Jiménez |
| author_facet | Fernando Nájera Rebeca Grande-Gómez Jorge Peña Anastasio Vázquez María Jesús Palacios Carmen Rueda Ana Isabel Corona-Bravo Irene Zorrilla Luis Revuelta María Gil-Molino José Jiménez |
| author_sort | Fernando Nájera |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The restoration of Iberian lynx (<i>Lynx pardinus</i>) populations in Extremadura (Southwestern Spain) have been carried out since 2014. One of the measures to ensure the success of this program is to examine the effects that diseases may have on reintroduction. Since diseases may be greatly located at certain sites because of the specific ecological requirements of the pathogens and/or vectors, reintroduced individuals may present a risk of infection once released. To determine which pathogens the reintroduced individuals may encounter, we performed a molecular and sero-epidemiological survey in reintroduced and wild-born lynxes. From 2015 to 2019, 69 Iberian lynxes (40 reintroduced and 29 wild-born) were sampled and screened against 10 viral, bacterial and piroplasmid agents. In parallel, 195 sympatric carnivores from the families <i>Canidae</i>, <i>Felidae</i>, <i>Viverridae</i>, <i>Herpestidae</i> and <i>Mustelidae</i> were tested against current or past infections to six common canine/feline viruses. In the Iberian lynx, low contact rates of active infection were obtained for the feline leukemia provirus (FeLV: 1.5%; 1/67), feline parvovirus (FPV: 1.5%; 1/67) and <i>Cytauxzoon</i> sp. (6.7%; 1/15). We also confirmed the emergence of Aujeszky’s disease (suid herpesvirus-1) in this population (SuHV-1: 11.8%; 2/17). Evidence of previous exposure was detected for canine distemper virus (CDV: 5.8%; 3/52), feline coronavirus (1.9%; 1/52), FPV (7.7%; 1/13) and feline calicivirus (FCV: 5.3%; 1/19). From 25 recovered lynx carcasses, we could confirm infectious etiology involvement in the death of four individuals (SuHV-1 in two individuals, coinfection of <i>Cytauxzoon</i> spp. and <i>Aeromonas veronii</i> in one lynx and a <i>Streptococcus canis</i> myositis in another lynx). We confirmed the circulation of CDV, FPV, FeLV, FCV and the feline immunodeficiency virus within the sympatric carnivore community. Due to the low contact rate of infectious agents in such a small, endangered population, we recommend continuing a disease surveillance program to determine the prognostic factors of survival, understand the role that disease may play during the reintroduction and anticipate disease outbreaks that may pose a risk for the entire reintroduced population. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:43:52Z |
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| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:43:52Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
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| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-9674a629865747e7b2a3221f0eeacff32023-12-11T17:40:07ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152021-02-0111254710.3390/ani11020547Disease Surveillance during the Reintroduction of the Iberian Lynx (<i>Lynx pardinus</i>) in Southwestern SpainFernando Nájera0Rebeca Grande-Gómez1Jorge Peña2Anastasio Vázquez3María Jesús Palacios4Carmen Rueda5Ana Isabel Corona-Bravo6Irene Zorrilla7Luis Revuelta8María Gil-Molino9José Jiménez10Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainGPEX-Dirección General de Medio Ambiente, Junta de Extremadura, Avda. Luis Ramallo s/n, 06800 Mérida, SpainGPEX-Dirección General de Medio Ambiente, Junta de Extremadura, Avda. Luis Ramallo s/n, 06800 Mérida, SpainGPEX-Dirección General de Medio Ambiente, Junta de Extremadura, Avda. Luis Ramallo s/n, 06800 Mérida, SpainDirección General de Medio Ambiente de la Junta de Extremadura, Avda. Luis Ramallo s/n, 06800 Mérida, SpainFundación CBD-Hábitat, C/Gustavo Fernández Balbuena 2, Entreplanta, Oficina A, 28002 Madrid, SpainCentro de Análisis y Diagnóstico de la Fauna Silvestre, Agencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua de Andalucía, Consejería de Agricultura, Ganadería, Pesca y Desarrollo Sostenible, Junta de Andalucía, Avenida Lope de Vega 9, 29010 Málaga, SpainCentro de Análisis y Diagnóstico de la Fauna Silvestre, Agencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua de Andalucía, Consejería de Agricultura, Ganadería, Pesca y Desarrollo Sostenible, Junta de Andalucía, Avenida Lope de Vega 9, 29010 Málaga, SpainDepartment of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainServicio de Recepción y Diagnostico de Muestras Biológicas, Hospital Clínico Veterinario, Universidad de Extremadura, Avda. Universidad s/n, 10003 Cáceres, SpainInstituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos-(CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), 13071 Ciudad Real, SpainThe restoration of Iberian lynx (<i>Lynx pardinus</i>) populations in Extremadura (Southwestern Spain) have been carried out since 2014. One of the measures to ensure the success of this program is to examine the effects that diseases may have on reintroduction. Since diseases may be greatly located at certain sites because of the specific ecological requirements of the pathogens and/or vectors, reintroduced individuals may present a risk of infection once released. To determine which pathogens the reintroduced individuals may encounter, we performed a molecular and sero-epidemiological survey in reintroduced and wild-born lynxes. From 2015 to 2019, 69 Iberian lynxes (40 reintroduced and 29 wild-born) were sampled and screened against 10 viral, bacterial and piroplasmid agents. In parallel, 195 sympatric carnivores from the families <i>Canidae</i>, <i>Felidae</i>, <i>Viverridae</i>, <i>Herpestidae</i> and <i>Mustelidae</i> were tested against current or past infections to six common canine/feline viruses. In the Iberian lynx, low contact rates of active infection were obtained for the feline leukemia provirus (FeLV: 1.5%; 1/67), feline parvovirus (FPV: 1.5%; 1/67) and <i>Cytauxzoon</i> sp. (6.7%; 1/15). We also confirmed the emergence of Aujeszky’s disease (suid herpesvirus-1) in this population (SuHV-1: 11.8%; 2/17). Evidence of previous exposure was detected for canine distemper virus (CDV: 5.8%; 3/52), feline coronavirus (1.9%; 1/52), FPV (7.7%; 1/13) and feline calicivirus (FCV: 5.3%; 1/19). From 25 recovered lynx carcasses, we could confirm infectious etiology involvement in the death of four individuals (SuHV-1 in two individuals, coinfection of <i>Cytauxzoon</i> spp. and <i>Aeromonas veronii</i> in one lynx and a <i>Streptococcus canis</i> myositis in another lynx). We confirmed the circulation of CDV, FPV, FeLV, FCV and the feline immunodeficiency virus within the sympatric carnivore community. Due to the low contact rate of infectious agents in such a small, endangered population, we recommend continuing a disease surveillance program to determine the prognostic factors of survival, understand the role that disease may play during the reintroduction and anticipate disease outbreaks that may pose a risk for the entire reintroduced population.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/2/547Aujeszky’s diseasecanine distemper virusdisease surveillancefeline leukemia virus<i>Lynx pardinus</i>reintroduction |
| spellingShingle | Fernando Nájera Rebeca Grande-Gómez Jorge Peña Anastasio Vázquez María Jesús Palacios Carmen Rueda Ana Isabel Corona-Bravo Irene Zorrilla Luis Revuelta María Gil-Molino José Jiménez Disease Surveillance during the Reintroduction of the Iberian Lynx (<i>Lynx pardinus</i>) in Southwestern Spain Animals Aujeszky’s disease canine distemper virus disease surveillance feline leukemia virus <i>Lynx pardinus</i> reintroduction |
| title | Disease Surveillance during the Reintroduction of the Iberian Lynx (<i>Lynx pardinus</i>) in Southwestern Spain |
| title_full | Disease Surveillance during the Reintroduction of the Iberian Lynx (<i>Lynx pardinus</i>) in Southwestern Spain |
| title_fullStr | Disease Surveillance during the Reintroduction of the Iberian Lynx (<i>Lynx pardinus</i>) in Southwestern Spain |
| title_full_unstemmed | Disease Surveillance during the Reintroduction of the Iberian Lynx (<i>Lynx pardinus</i>) in Southwestern Spain |
| title_short | Disease Surveillance during the Reintroduction of the Iberian Lynx (<i>Lynx pardinus</i>) in Southwestern Spain |
| title_sort | disease surveillance during the reintroduction of the iberian lynx i lynx pardinus i in southwestern spain |
| topic | Aujeszky’s disease canine distemper virus disease surveillance feline leukemia virus <i>Lynx pardinus</i> reintroduction |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/2/547 |
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