title: Serological survey of Toxoplasma gondii infection in free-ranging Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) from Sweden.
abstract: To investigate the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in free-ranging Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in Sweden, serosanguinous fluids and feces were collected from 207 carcasses of lynx killed or found dead from 1996 to 1998. Sera were tested for antibodies against T. gondii by the direct agglutination test, and 156 (75.4%) of the sera tested positive at antibody titers>or=40. Antibody prevalence was significantly lower in lynx originating from the northern parts of Sweden than in lynx from the more southern regions that are more densely populated by humans. Age-related differences also were found, with a significantly lower prevalence (55%) in juvenile (<1-yr-old) than in subadult and adult animals (82%). There was no significant difference in seroprevalence between males and females. Oocysts typical of T. gondii were not detected in any of the fecal samples.
authors.affiliation: Department of Wildlife, National Veterinary Institute, SE-751 89 Uppsala, Sweden. marie-pierre.ryser@itpa.unibe.ch
authors.forename: Marie-Pierre
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Ryser-Degiorgis
authors.forename: Eva-Britt
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Jakubek
authors.forename: Carl Hård
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: af Segerstad
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bröjer
authors.forename: Torsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mörner
authors.forename: Désirée S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Jansson
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lundén
authors.forename: Arvid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uggla
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000469:parasitology; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D046008:Lynx / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D010270:Parasite Egg Count / Q000662:veterinary; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan