1. Disease surveillance during the first years of the reintroduction of an apex predator in Southwestern Spain
- Author
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Nájera, Fernando, Gil-Molino, María, Vallverdú-Coll, Núria, Grande-Gómez, Rebeca, Panadero, J., Palacios, María J., and Jiménez, José
- Subjects
viruses ,virus diseases - Abstract
Resumen del trabajo presentado a la 68th Annual International Conference of the Wildlife Disease Association (WDA): "Fostering resiliency in a time of change", celebrada en Tahoe City, California (USA) del 4 al 9 de agosto de 2019., Efforts to restore Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) 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 effect that diseases may have on reintroduction. Because diseases may be highly located at certain sites as a result of the specific ecological requirements of pathogens and/or vectors, reintroduced individuals may present risk of infection once released. To determine which pathogens the reintroduced individuals may encounter, we performed a molecular and sero-epidemiological surveillance in reintroduced and wild born lynxes. During the first five years of the reintroduction, 36 captive-bred lynxes were reintroduced and 45 were wild born. Samples were obtained from 22 reintroduced lynxes and 10 wild individuals. Serum samples were tested against feline calicivirus, feline herpesvirus, feline parvovirus, feline leukemia virus, feline immunodeficiency virus and canine distemper virus. Blood samples were also analyzed by PCR for feline leukemia provirus, feline parvovirus, feline coronavirus, feline herpesvirus, feline calicivirus, canine distemper virus, Leptospira spp., and Cytauxzoon spp. We also screened for suid herpesvirus 1 in dead lynxes. Additionally, whenever possible, we investigated other causes of disease in necropsies. In four out of eleven post mortem examinations, we found active infection of Cytauxzoon spp. and Aeromonas veronii (same lynx); feline leukemia provirus and suid herpesvirus 1 (same lynx), feline parvovirus, and a Streptoccocus canis necrotiziting myositis. Evidence of exposure to feline parvovirus, feline herpesvirus, feline calicivirus and feline coronavirus were observed in 3/31; 6/31; 6/31; 1/31 of the lynxes respectively. In such small, endangered population we recommend continuing a disease surveillance program to determine prognostic factors of survival, understand the role that disease may play during the reintroduction and anticipate disease outbreaks which may pose a risk for the entire reintroduced population.
- Published
- 2019