Atypical Brucella sp in captive Australian green tree frogs (Litoria caerulea): clinical features, pathology, culture and molecular characterization.

BACKGROUND: Brucella spp. are globally important zoonotic bacteria, which have historically been considered pathogens of warm-blooded species. More recently, new strains of Brucella have been cultured from a broader range of animals including terrestrial and marine mammals and amphibians. These new isolates are classified as 'atypical' brucellae and differ from the classical stains by host tropism, phenotypic traits or phylogenetic distance. Atypical Brucella have previously been described as the cause of localised and systemic infection in frogs. CASE REPORT: This report describes the clinical features, pathology, microbiology and molecular characteristics of persistent Brucella spp. infection in two Australian green tree frogs and its isolation in an additional in-contact, clinically well frog. CONCLUSION: The two frogs that died had severe nephritis attributed to brucellosis with disseminated infection identified in one animal.

Prevalence of exon 11 internal tandem duplications in the C-KIT proto-oncogene in Australian canine mast cell tumours.

OBJECTIVE: To measure the prevalence of internal tandem duplications (ITDs) in exon 11 of the proto-oncogene C-KIT in a sample of Australian cutaneous canine mast cell tumours (MCTs) drawn from general practice and to evaluate relationships between tumour mutation status and prognostic factors including signalment, tumour histological grade, tumour anatomical location and tumour size. METHODS: C-KIT exon 11 ITDs were detected by PCR in DNA extracted from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded canine MCTs sourced from three veterinary diagnostic laboratories in Adelaide and Melbourne. Tumours were graded according to two different systems (Patnaik and Kiupel systems) by board-certified anatomical pathologists blinded to the PCR results. Relationships between tumour mutation status and prognostic factors were evaluated using a generalised binary logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: ITDs were identified in 13 of 74 cutaneous canine MCT samples, giving an overall prevalence of 17.6% (95% confidence interval: 8.9-26.2%). ITDs were detected in 10 of 18 Patnaik grade III MCTs (55.6%) and 11 of 22 Kiupel high-grade MCTs (50%). Wald chi-square analysis revealed that detection of tumour ITDs was significantly associated with both Patnaik's and Kiupel's histologic grading systems (each: P < 0.001). The presence of the ITDs in MCTs was not associated with signalment, tumour anatomical location or tumour size. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of C-KIT exon 11 ITDs in Australian canine MCTs is similar to the prevalence in overseas canine populations (overall prevalence in Australia approximately 18%). ITDs were more frequently identified in higher grade MCTs.

Retrospective analysis of causes of death in mountain pygmy-possums (Burramys parvus) at Healesville Sanctuary, Victoria, Australia.

BACKGROUND: Identification and characterisation of deaths is important for the veterinary management of both wild and captive animals. It is especially important as a tool for monitoring health and disease within populations of endangered species for which little information on morbidity and mortality is known. Investigations into the causes of death and other important necropsy findings were made in a captive population of the critically endangered mountain pygmy-possum (Burramys parvus). METHODS: Necropsy records from January 2000-December 2013 were reviewed for all possums that had lived and died at Healesville Sanctuary (n = 48). RESULTS: The average age of death of possums in this population was 4.7 years. The most common histological change in mountain pygmy-possums was varying degrees of chronic progressive kidney disease (n = 17). Of these cases, eight animals (47%) had histological changes suggesting the kidney disease was the likely cause of death. Other causes of death included neoplasia (n = 5), necrotising pancreatitis (n = 4), pneumonia (n = 2), reproductive disease (n = 2) and trauma (n = 2). No cause of death was able to be identified in 33.3% (n = 16) of cases. Hepatic lipidosis (n = 5), pneumonia (n = 2) and degenerative joint disease (n = 2) were the most common comorbidities found. CONCLUSION: Progressive renal disease, often with secondary metastatic mineralisation, appears to be a significant cause of mortality in captive mountain pygmy-possums and further investigation into its pathophysiology, antemortem diagnosis and treatment is warranted.

Cutaneous and systemic mycoses from infection with Lecanicillium spp. in captive Guthega skinks (Liopholis guthega).

BACKGROUND: Guthega skinks have been listed as critically endangered and are considered particularly vulnerable to extinction because of their isolation and restricted distribution. There is no information on their captive husbandry, or the diseases that affect them. CASE REPORT: Cutaneous and systemic mycosis from infection with Lecanicillium spp. was diagnosed in a captive colony of Guthega skinks (Liopholis guthega). Infection resulted in the death of five lizards. Diagnosis of infection was confirmed using a combination of histopathology, fungal culture and DNA sequencing from all affected animals. An additional four similarly affected individuals were successfully treated with a combination of voriconazole (10 mg/kg PO once daily) and shallow baths of benzalkonium chloride and polyhexamethylene biguanide hydrochloride (F10) (1 : 250, 20 min once daily). This is the first report of Lecanicillium spp. infection in reptiles.