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Simon, A.; Poulin, M.B.; Rousseau, A.N.; Dubey, J.P.; Ogden, N.H.
Spatiotemporal dynamics of Toxoplasma Gondii infection in Canadian lynx (_Lynx canadensis_) in western Qu‚bec, Canada
2013  Journal of Wildlife Diseases (49): 39-48

_Toxoplasma gondii_, one of the more common zoonotic parasites in the world, can cause serious illness in humans and other animals worldwide. Felids are the only known host that can shed _T. gondii_ oocysts, which are essential to the perpetuation of the parasite. In much of boreal Canada, the Canadian lynx (_Lynx canadensis_) is the only wild felid host that could contribute to environmental contamination with _T. gondii_ oocysts. We estimated the prevalence of_ T. gondii_ antibodies in Canadian lynx from western Qu‚bec and compared our results with earlier findings in the same region 12 yr earlier. We investigated factors associated with seroconversion, including age, sex, geographic location, and possible co-occurrence with domestic cats (_Felis catus_), and we assessed the proportion of lynx shedding _T. gondii oocysts_. Blood and fecal samples were collected from 84 lynx harvested by trappers in the eastern part of the study area during winter 2009-2010. Sera were tested for antibodies to _T. gondii_ by the modified agglutination test (cutoff titer 1:50) and fecal samples for parasite eggs by fecal flotation. Antibodies to _T. gondii_ were detected in sera of 14% of 84 lynx. Numerous helminth ova and coccidian oocysts were found in feces, whereas_ T. gondii_-like oocysts were not detected. Antibody prevalence increased with age class (odds ratio [OR]=4.33, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.57-11.99, P<0.01). Antibody prevalence (14%) in our study was significantly lower than in 84 lynx (36%) trapped in the western part of the study area during winter 1997-1998 (OR=0.18, 95% CI=0.08-0.44, P<0.001). Our results suggest there may be significant spatiotemporal dynamics of _T. gondii_ infection in lynx in Canada, and we review possible abiotic and biotic ecologic factors supporting these findings.

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