RT Journal Article
T1 Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Endangered Wild Felines (Felis silvestris and Lynx pardinus) in Spain
A1 Matas Méndez, Pablo
A1 Fuentes Corripio, Isabel
A1 Montoya Matute, Ana
A1 Bailo Barroso, Begoña
A1 Grande Gómez, Rebeca
A1 Apruzzese Rubio, Ariadna
A1 Ponce Gordo, Francisco
A1 Mateo Barrientos, Marta
AB The wildcat (Felis silvestris) and the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) are important species in Spain, considered as near-threatened and endangered, respectively. Both can be infected by Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that can cause morbidity and mortality in transplacentally-infected or immunocompromised mammals. The data on the prevalence of this parasite in wild populations of these species in Spain are outdated. The objective of this study was to update information and evaluate the role of these felines in parasite epidemiology and the potential impact of the parasite on their conservation. Blood and fecal samples were collected from captured animals, as well as the tongue, diaphragm, and spleen, from animals killed in road accidents in central Spain. An indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) was used to detect parasite antibodies in serum, microscopy and molecular analysis were used to detect oocysts in feces, and molecular analysis was used to determine the existence of tissue cysts. Seroprevalence was 85% in wildcats and 45% in lynx, and parasite DNA was detected in the feces of one wildcat and in tissue samples from 10 wildcats and 11 Iberian lynxes. These results highlight the epidemiological importance and high risk of T. gondii infection in animals and humans in the studied areas. Considering feline susceptibility to infection, monitoring programs are needed to assess the health status of wild felines
PB MDPI
SN 2076-2615
YR 2023
FD 2023-08-01
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/103580
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/103580
LA eng
NO Matas Méndez, P., Fuentes Corripio, I., Montoya Matute, A., Bailo Barroso, B., Grande Gómez, R., Apruzzese Rubio, A., Ponce Gordo, F., & Mateo Barrientos, M. (2023). Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Endangered Wild Felines (Felis silvestris and Lynx pardinus) in Spain. Animals : an open access journal from MDPI, 13(15), 2488. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13152488
NO Fundación Alfonso X el Sabio (España)
NO Instituto de Salud Carlos III (España)
DS Docta Complutense
RD 10 sept 2024