Jiménez-Pizarro Natalia, Serrano Beatriz, Peña Jorge, Barrera Rafael, Gil-Molino María, Risco David, Hermoso-de-Mendoza Javier
Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Extremadura, 10003 Cáceres, Spain.
Life Lynxconnect Project, FOTEX S.L., 06011 Badajoz, Spain.
Vet Sci. 2025 May 29;12(6):527. doi: 10.3390/vetsci12060527.
The Iberian lynx () population has been increasing in recent years thanks to the collaboration of several associations within the framework of the Life Lynxconnect project, which promotes captive breeding for the subsequent release of specimens into the environment. It is therefore important to know their population status, the diseases to which these animals are exposed, and how they affect their repopulation. In this sense, this study aims to study how the presence of mycobacteria affects the lynx population in Extremadura (southwest of Spain). To this end, blood samples, tracheal swabs, and tracheobronchial washings from live-captured lynxes, as well as mediastinal and mesenteric lymph nodes from roadkill animals, were collected. The association between the presence of mycobacteria and various factors-including body condition, age, sex, and blood parameters-was subsequently evaluated. Up to date, our findings show the absence of tuberculosis (TB) in all lynxes tested, while they seem to be reservoirs of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), mainly , the most isolated species. Nonetheless, these mycobacteria appear to have no significant effect on the health condition of the animals.
近年来，由于多个协会在“生命猞猁连接”项目框架内的合作，伊比利亚猞猁（）种群数量一直在增加。该项目推动圈养繁殖，以便随后将猞猁放归自然环境。因此，了解它们的种群状况、这些动物所接触的疾病以及这些疾病如何影响它们的种群恢复非常重要。从这个意义上说，本研究旨在探讨分枝杆菌的存在如何影响埃斯特雷马杜拉（西班牙西南部）的猞猁种群。为此，采集了活体捕获的猞猁的血液样本、气管拭子和气管支气管灌洗液，以及路毙动物的纵隔和肠系膜淋巴结。随后评估了分枝杆菌的存在与各种因素之间的关联，这些因素包括身体状况、年龄、性别和血液参数。到目前为止，我们的数据显示，所有检测的猞猁均未感染结核病（TB），而它们似乎是非结核分枝杆菌（NTM）的宿主，主要是 ，这是最常分离出的菌种。尽管如此，这些分枝杆菌似乎对动物的健康状况没有显著影响。
