IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Alic, A.; Traversa, D.; Duscher, G.G.; Kadric, M.; di Cesare, A.; Hodzic, A. | |
| _Troglostrongylus brevior_ in an Eurasian lynx (_Lynx lynx_) from Bosnia and Herzegovina | |
| 2015 Parasites & Vectors (8): 653 | |
In the past few years the interest of the scientific community on lungworms of the genus _Troglostrongylus_ has grown due to the increased number of unexpected cases of infections with _Troglostrongylus brevior_ in domestic cats from Mediterranean Europe, likely due to a spill-over from wild reservoirs. Thus, there is a merit to increase our knowledge on the occurrence of this parasite in felids from European regions. The present paper describes lung lesions associated with _T. brevior_ infection in the endangered Eurasian lynx (_Lynx lynx_) from Bosnia and Herzegovina. The carcass of an illegally killed 3-year-old male Eurasian lynx was presented for necropsy at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina). Grossly, multiple, multinodular, consolidated and firm, tan to grey areas, occupying the caudal third of caudal lung lobes, were observed. At cut section, the catarrhal fluid was draining from the airways. Larvae of _T. brevior_ were found in tracheal scraping. The histopathological examination revealed multifocal to coalescing areas, centered on bronchi and bronchioles, and expanded alveoli filled with necrotic debris, degenerated inflammatory cells, mostly neutrophils and macrophages, and multiple cross sections of parasite larvae and thin-walled morulated eggs of lungworms. The paraffin-embedded lung samples were molecularly positive for _T. brevior_. This paper describes the first record of _T. brevior_ in the Eurasian lynx and the associated host lung pathology. Given its pathogenic potential and the lack of data on troglostrongylosis in lynx populations, the occurrence and impact of _Troglostrongylus_ spp. on wildlife health as well as the role of _L. lynx_ as reservoir of infection for other felids, should be further investigated. |
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