Orthopoxvirus DNA in Eurasian Lynx, Sweden

Abstract

Cowpox virus, which has been used to protect humans against smallpox but may cause severe disease in immunocompromised persons, has reemerged in humans, domestic cats, and other animal species in Europe. Orthopoxvirus (OPV) DNA was detected in tissues (lung, kidney, spleen) in 24 (9%) of 263 free-ranging Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) from Sweden. Thymidine kinase gene amplicon sequences (339 bp) from 21 lynx were all identical to those from cowpox virus isolated from a person in Norway and phylogenetically closer to monkeypox virus than to vaccinia virus and isolates from 2 persons with cowpox virus in Sweden. Prevalence was higher among animals from regions with dense, rather than rural, human populations. Lynx are probably exposed to OPV through predation on small mammal reservoir species. We conclude that OPV is widely distributed in Sweden and may represent a threat to humans. Further studies are needed to verify whether this lynx OPV is cowpox virus.

Morphometric characteristics of free‐ranging Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx in Switzerland and their suitability for age estimation

“…Our morphometric measurements indicate that the three lynx age classes correspond to the initial fast growth period (juveniles), the final slower growth period (subadults) and the post-growth period (adults). These classes were originally defined based on the typical social behaviour of lynx (family life, dispersal, establishment of a territory of their own and reproduction (Zimmermann et al 2005, Tryland et al 2011). In the Eurasian lynx approximately 50% of the females are fertile at < 1 year and about 50% of males reach a fertile stage during the mating season of their second year, although successful reproduction usually takes place only in subsequent years (Kvam 1991, Axnér et al 2009).…”

Evidence of zoonotic Poxviridae coinfections in clinically diagnosed papillomas using a newly developed mini-array test

“…This virus used to be enzootic in cattle; however, such infections have not been diagnosed over the last decades, while individual cases of cowpox have been repeatedly found in cats or exotic zoo animals that were responsible for human transmission. 8,13,16,17,24,26 It is not possible to conclude that CPXV was the causal agent of the lesions reported in the domestic ruminants in our study; in fact, its low genomic load can be the result of interference caused by multiple viral agents replicating at the same time in the same target cell. On the other hand, the presence of CPXV DNA in the pathological samples of the domestic ruminants lead us to speculate that the virus may use these animal species as reservoirs to spread and persist in the environment through the scab material produced by other epitheliotropic viruses.…”

National competence center for wildlife diseases in Switzerland: Mandate, development and current strategies

“…Classification of land (and associated animal populations) into relatively ho mogenous strata provides a valuable spatial framework for comparison and analysis of ecological and environ mental data across large heterogeneous areas (Metzger et al, 2013). Speciesspecific age classes have been de fined with consideration of both morphological criteria and intraspecific social interactions of potential epide miological importance (RyserDegiorgis et al, 2009;Tryland et al, 2011;Wu et al, 2011;Mavrot et al, 2012b). Calendar seasons are systematically defined in the same way, but speciesspecific biological seasons, given the temporal variations in intraspecific interac tions with potential consequences for disease dynamics, have also been proposed (Tryland et al, 2011;Mavrot et al, 2012b).…”

“…Speciesspecific age classes have been de fined with consideration of both morphological criteria and intraspecific social interactions of potential epide miological importance (RyserDegiorgis et al, 2009;Tryland et al, 2011;Wu et al, 2011;Mavrot et al, 2012b). Calendar seasons are systematically defined in the same way, but speciesspecific biological seasons, given the temporal variations in intraspecific interac tions with potential consequences for disease dynamics, have also been proposed (Tryland et al, 2011;Mavrot et al, 2012b). In addition to geographical origin and age, other risk factors for infection are regularly includ ed, such as species, sex, season and topography.…”