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Bowater RO, Gummow B, Mackie T, Thompson AR, Hayes DA, Goudkamp K, Taylor JD. Toxoplasmosis epidemic in a population of urbanised allied rock-wallabies (Petrogale assimilis) on Magnetic Island (Yunbenun), North Queensland. Aust Vet J 2024; 102:256-263. [PMID: 38361144 DOI: 10.1111/avj.13319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
A mortality event involving 23 allied rock-wallabies (Petrogale assimilis) displaying neurological signs and sudden death occurred in late April to May 2021 in a suburban residential area directly adjacent to Magnetic Island National Park, on Magnetic Island (Yunbenun), North Queensland, Australia. Three allied rock-wallabies were submitted for necropsy, and in all three cases, the cause of death was disseminated toxoplasmosis. This mortality event was unusual because only a small, localised population of native wallabies inhabiting a periurban area on a tropical island in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area were affected. A disease investigation determined the outbreak was likely linked to the presence of free-ranging feral and domesticated cats inhabiting the area. There were no significant deaths of other wallabies or wildlife in the same or other parts of Magnetic Island (Yunbenun) at the time of the outbreak. This is the first reported case of toxoplasmosis in allied rock-wallabies (Petrogale assimilis), and this investigation highlights the importance of protecting native wildlife species from an infectious and potentially fatal parasitic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- R O Bowater
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Solander Road, Townsville, 4811, Queensland, Australia
| | - B Gummow
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Solander Road, Townsville, 4811, Queensland, Australia
- Department of Production Animal Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - T Mackie
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Solander Road, Townsville, 4811, Queensland, Australia
| | - A R Thompson
- Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Animal Health Laboratory, 165 Westbury Road, Prospect, Launceston, Tasmania, 7250, Australia
| | - D A Hayes
- Launceston General Hospital, Launceston, Tasmania, 7250, Australia
| | - K Goudkamp
- Nelly Bay, Magnetic Island, Queensland, 4819, Australia
| | - J D Taylor
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Solander Road, Townsville, 4811, Queensland, Australia
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Yang L, Ren H, Zhu N, Mao G, Li J, Su C, Jiang Y, Yang Y. Epidemiology and isolation of viable Toxoplasma gondii strain from macropods. Heliyon 2023; 9:e13960. [PMID: 36938389 PMCID: PMC10015192 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Wallabies and other marsupials are highly susceptible to Toxoplasma gondii. In this study, 26 macropod samples were collected (8 red kangaroos, 4 Parma wallabies, 8 red-necked wallabies, 5 albino red-necked wallabies and 1 Eastern grey kangaroo), including tissue (n = 9) and serum (n = 17) samples. According to the modified agglutination test (MAT) results (cutoff 1:25), 50% (95% Cl: 32.06-67.94%) of the macropods had T. gondii antibodies. Among them, species, survival state, and sampling date were risk factors for T. gondii susceptibility (P < 0.05). T. gondii DNA was detected in two (cases #14 and #15) of the nine cases obtained from macropod tissues. One viable T. gondii strain (TgRooCHn4) was isolated from an albino red-necked wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus, case #14) via bioassay in mice. TgRooCHn4 belongs to ToxoDB genotype #3, using the 10 multilocus PCR-RFLP markers. The ROP18 and ROP5 gene allele types of TgRooCHn4 were 2/2, which was predicted to be non-lethal to mice. The virulence of TgRooCHn4 tachyzoites was avirulent in mice. Most macropods sampled from Hernan province in 2021 and 2022 were positive with T. gondii infection. A flood occurred in July 2021 in Zhengzhou from Henan province may promote the transmission of T. gondii oocysts. To our knowledge, this is the first T. gondii strain isolated from albino red-necked wallaby. However, further investigation is required to enhance our understanding of the transmission and prevention of toxoplasmosis in sensitive zoo animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liulu Yang
- Veterinary Pathology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, PR China
| | - Hongjie Ren
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, PR China
| | - Niuping Zhu
- Veterinary Pathology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, PR China
| | - Gaohui Mao
- Veterinary Pathology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, PR China
| | | | - Chunlei Su
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA
| | - Yibao Jiang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, PR China
- Corresponding author.
| | - Yurong Yang
- Veterinary Pathology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, PR China
- Corresponding author.
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Yang L, Xin S, Zhu N, Li J, Su C, Yang Y. Two viable Toxoplasma gondii isolates from red-necked wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus) and red kangaroo (M. rufus). Parasitol Int 2023; 92:102687. [DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2022.102687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Ren H, Yang L, Zhu N, Li J, Su C, Jiang Y, Yang Y. Additional evidence of tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) as intermediate hosts for Toxoplasma gondii through the isolation of viable strains. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY: PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2022; 19:330-335. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2022.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Valenzuela-Moreno LF, Carmona-Muciño MDC, Cedillo-Peláez C, Rico-Torres CP, Luna-Pastén H, Hernández-Rodríguez MA, Caballero-Ortega H. Acute Disseminated Toxoplasmosis in Two Specimens of Macropus rufogriseus Caused by a Genotype so far Exclusive to South America. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:923976. [PMID: 35782563 PMCID: PMC9240756 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.923976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Macropods are included among the species considered highly susceptible to Toxoplasma gondii infection. Clinically, it is difficult to distinguish between acute toxoplasmosis due to primary infection and reactivation of chronic latent infection in susceptible species until pathologic studies are performed. Here, we described the clinical cases and lesions found in two deceased Bennett's wallabies (Macropus rufogriseus) with a presumptive diagnosis of toxoplasmosis, as well as the genetic characterization of the T. gondii isolates obtained from these specimens. Both animals presented acute infection lesions in the lungs, liver, spleen and lymph nodes associated to T. gondii infection. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry also demonstrated tissue cysts of different sizes, indicating that the wallabies were previously infected with this parasite. Two isolates were obtained, one from each specimen and the molecular characterization was done; both isolates were the ToxoDB #116 genotype. This is the first study that reports the isolation of this particular genotype outside South America, and given the histopathological findings, it could be considered virulent for this species. The dynamics of infection that T. gondii is causing in definitive and intermediate hosts in a region allows us to know the risks to which the animals and humans that live in the area are exposed, and in the future to implement a preventive medicine plan against this parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Fernando Valenzuela-Moreno
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Experimental, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Insurgentes Sur 3700-C, Colonia Insurgentes-Cuicuilco, Demarcación Territorial Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | | | - Carlos Cedillo-Peláez
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Experimental, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Insurgentes Sur 3700-C, Colonia Insurgentes-Cuicuilco, Demarcación Territorial Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Claudia Patricia Rico-Torres
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Experimental, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Insurgentes Sur 3700-C, Colonia Insurgentes-Cuicuilco, Demarcación Territorial Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Héctor Luna-Pastén
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Experimental, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Insurgentes Sur 3700-C, Colonia Insurgentes-Cuicuilco, Demarcación Territorial Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | | | - Heriberto Caballero-Ortega
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Experimental, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Insurgentes Sur 3700-C, Colonia Insurgentes-Cuicuilco, Demarcación Territorial Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, Mexico
- *Correspondence: Heriberto Caballero-Ortega
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Lehman K, Cohen EB, Ozawa SM, Keeney CH, Sommer S. Imaging Diagnosis: Thoracic radiographic features of toxoplasmosis in a 14-month-old Red Kangaroo (Macropus rufus). Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2022; 63:E26-E30. [PMID: 36189669 PMCID: PMC9828556 DOI: 10.1111/vru.13155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
A privately owned 14-month-old intact female red kangaroo (Macropus rufus) was presented for acute onset respiratory distress and lethargy. On presentation, the kangaroo was laterally recumbent, tachypneic, dyspneic, lethargic, and obtunded. Thoracic radiographs revealed a severe diffuse mixed pulmonary pattern (alveolar pattern superimposed on a bronchial pattern) and subjective mild generalized cardiomegaly. Due to the severity of clinical signs and grave prognosis, euthanasia was elected. Postmortem examination was consistent with systemic toxoplasmosis. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry staining on infected tissues confirmed Toxoplasma gondii. This is the first published report of radiographic findings for confirmed toxoplasmosis in a red kangaroo or marsupial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen Lehman
- Department of Molecular Biomedical SciencesNorth Carolina State University College of Veterinary MedicineRaleighNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Eli B. Cohen
- Department of Molecular Biomedical SciencesNorth Carolina State University College of Veterinary MedicineRaleighNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Sarah M. Ozawa
- Department of Clinical SciencesNorth Carolina State University College of Veterinary MedicineRaleighNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Caitlin Hepps Keeney
- Department of Clinical SciencesNorth Carolina State University College of Veterinary MedicineRaleighNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Samantha Sommer
- Department of Molecular Biomedical SciencesNorth Carolina State University College of Veterinary MedicineRaleighNorth CarolinaUSA
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