SaBio, Institute for Game and Wildlife Research, IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain.
Department of Animal Health, Animal Health and Zoonoses Research Group (GISAZ), UIC Zoonoses and Emerging Diseases (ENZOEM), University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain; Infectious Diseases Unit, Reina Sofia University Hospital, Maimonides Instituto for Biomedical Research (IMIBIC), University of Cordoba (UCO), Cordoba, Spain; CIBERINFEC, ISCIII - CIBER on Infectious Diseases, Carlos III Health Institute, Madrid, Spain.
Prev Vet Med. 2024 Nov;232:106330. doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2024.106330. Epub 2024 Aug 30.
Coxiella burnetii is a multi-host bacterium of major public and animal health concern. This pathogen circulates among several wild species in the Iberian Peninsula, however, the role of the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) in the epidemiology of this emerging pathogen is still unknown. The objective of this work was to assess the circulation of C. burnetii in Iberian lynx populations from the Iberian Peninsula and to study the molecular characterisation of this pathogen in lynxes and their feeding ticks. A total of 922 lynxes, including free-ranging and captive individuals, were sampled between 2010 and 2022 for the collection of sera (n = 543), spleen samples (n = 390) and ticks (n = 357 from 61 lynxes). The overall seroprevalence was 7.7 % (42/543; 95 %CI: 5.5-10.0 %), with age being significantly associated with the C. burnetii exposure in free-ranging lynxes. A longitudinal study was also carried out to assess the dynamics of the circulation of C. burnetii in this wild host, revealing that 7 of the 37 longitudinally surveyed individuals seroconverted during the study period. The PCR prevalence was 4.4 % (17/390, 95 %CI: 2.3-6.4 %) for spleen samples and 1.1 % (4/357; 95 % CI: 0.0-2.2) in ticks. This is the first study to evaluate the circulation of C. burnetii in the Iberian lynx and to confirm the infection in this felid. The results obtained show a moderate, wide, homogeneous, and endemic circulation of this bacterium in the Iberian lynx populations.
贝氏考克斯氏体是一种多宿主细菌，对公共卫生和动物健康具有重大影响。这种病原体在伊比利亚半岛的几个野生物种中传播，但伊比利亚猞猁（Lynx pardinus）在这种新兴病原体的流行病学中的作用尚不清楚。本研究的目的是评估伊比利亚半岛伊比利亚猞猁种群中贝氏考克斯氏体的循环情况，并研究该病原体在猞猁及其食蜱中的分子特征。2010 年至 2022 年期间，共对 922 只猞猁（包括自由放养和圈养个体）进行了采样，以收集血清（n=543）、脾脏样本（n=390）和蜱（n=357 来自 61 只猞猁）。总血清阳性率为 7.7%（42/543；95%CI：5.5-10.0%），自由放养猞猁的年龄与 C. burnetii 暴露显著相关。还进行了一项纵向研究，以评估这种野生宿主中 C. burnetii 循环的动态，结果显示，在研究期间，37 只纵向监测的个体中有 7 只发生了血清学转换。脾样本的 PCR 阳性率为 4.4%（17/390，95%CI：2.3-6.4%），蜱的阳性率为 1.1%（4/357；95%CI：0.0-2.2）。这是第一项评估伊比利亚猞猁中 C. burnetii 循环并确认该病原体感染该猫科动物的研究。研究结果表明，这种细菌在伊比利亚猞猁种群中呈中度、广泛、均匀和地方性循环。
