Endoparasites of the Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx) in Finland

Abstract

We sampled 339 fecal samples, 296 intestines, and 82 lungs from 371 lynx hunted during the 2010-2011 season in Finland. The fecal samples were analyzed for endoparasites by a quantitative flotation method, and helminths from intestines were studied morphologically, while lungs were investigated for pulmonary parasites. From fecal samples, eggs and oocysts of at least 6 different endoparasite species were identified, with a mean of 1.5 (range 0-4) parasite species per host. In the intestines, at least 4 different helminth species were found, with the mean of 2.0 (range 1-4) species per infected host. The prevalence of eggs in feces and the prevalence of worms in intestines were 71% and 93% for Toxocara cati , 29% and 68% for Taenia spp., and 5% and 2% for Diphyllobothrium sp., respectively. Only eggs were detected for Capillaria sp. (46%) and Uncinaria sp. (0.6%) nematodes, and only adults were detected for Mesocestoides sp. cestodes (0.3%). Significant positive correlations were evident between the number of T. cati (r = 0.664; P = 0.01) and Diphyllobothrium sp. (r = 0.645; P = 0.01) eggs per gram of feces and adult worms detected in intestine. In addition to the metazoan parasites, protozoan Isospora sp. oocysts were also found (0.6%). Pulmonary samples were all negative for parasites. These data demonstrate that lynx commonly harbor various endoparasites, some of which are zoonotic.

The role of wild canids and felids in spreading parasites to dogs and cats in Europe. Part II: Helminths and arthropods

“…This behaviour is likely to impact on the epidemiology of T. canis, thus strengthening the link between wild and domestic canid populations (Morgan et al, 2013). Conversely, wildlife hosts for T. cati include feral cats in England (35%; Nichol et al, 1981), feral cats and Iberian lynxes in Spain (35%; prevalence in feral cats; Millán and Casanova, 2009), Eurasian lynx in Finland (98%; Deksne et al, 2013) and pine martens in Poland (13%; Borecka et al, 2013).…”

Update of the helminth fauna in Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in Poland

“…The helminth fauna of Eurasian lynx in Europe reported so far consists of 25 species including 11 species of cestodes, one species of trematode, and 14 species of nematodes (Furmaga 1953 ; Merkusheva and Bobkova 1981 ; Yushkov 1995 ; Samuel et al 2001 ; Bagrade et al 2003 ; Valdmann et al 2004 ; Szczęsna et al 2008 ; Kornnyushin and Varodi 2010 ; Deksne et al 2013 ; Lavikainen et al 2013 ; Haukisalmi et al 2016 ). Data from lynx in Poland are limited due to rarity of this species and are based on either scant material or fecal samples, which provide underestimated results of helminth prevalence and intensity (Szczęsna et al 2008 ).…”

Troglostrongylus brevior in an Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) from Bosnia and Herzegovina

“…Interestingly, until now Troglostrongylus spp. has not been detected in several studies of the Eurasian lynx parasite fauna in Europe [ 21 – 24 ], despite these lungworms occur frequently in bobcat and Canada lynx in North America [ 16 – 18 ]. The absence of Troglostrongylus spp.…”

“…The absence of Troglostrongylus spp. in the European lynx could be related to the use of only copromicroscopic and morphological methods applied in the previous studies, or due to the geographic area of sampling, that could be unsuitable for the biology of this lungworm [ 21 – 24 ]. Thus, the infection might have been misdiagnosed for the cat lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus Railliet, 1898 [ 25 ].…”