Salmonella in captive and wild Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) in Tasmania.

Translocation of Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) is a common strategy for recovery of the species as carried out by the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program. Dasyurids including the endangered Tasmanian devil are well known to asymptomatically harbour the zoonotic bacteria Salmonella enterica in their intestinal tracts. Testing for Salmonella is a routine component of pretranslocation health testing, so a statewide microbiological survey of captive and wild devils was implemented in order to understand prevalence and common Salmonella serotypes, and inform decision-making when positive cultures are identified. This preliminary study identified a significantly higher proportion of Salmonella isolations in wild compared with captive devils. Mississippi and Typhimurium were the most common serotypes, followed by Lexington, Bovismorbificans, Kottbus and Amsterdam. Given the common finding of Salmonella in wild devils and the range of serotypes involved, in addition to numerous isolations in domestic species and humans, it is unlikely that the release of small numbers of captive devils to the wild in Tasmania poses a significant risk to the destination ecosystem. Ongoing monitoring of devils is required as the stress of acclimatisation could predispose devils to clinical disease. Appropriate personal protective attire is pertinent to protect personnel handling animals from this zoonotic infection.

Causes of mortality and severe morbidity requiring euthanasia in captive Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) in Tasmania.

BACKGROUND: Devil facial tumour disease (DFTD) is a contagious cancer causing marked population declines in wild Tasmanian devils. In response to this threat, a captive insurance population has been established. This study investigated causes of death in captive Tasmanian devils. METHODS: Clinical and laboratory records of captive Tasmanian devils held in seven Tasmanian captive facilities were analysed for cause of death or severe morbidity requiring euthanasia. RESULTS: Neoplasia was found to be the most common cause of mortality/severe morbidity, accounting for 27/63 of deaths. Cutaneous lymphoma was the most frequently observed tumour (10/27), at a higher incidence than previously reported. The most common cause of severe morbidity, following neoplasia, was leucoencephalomyelopathy, which caused severe, progressive hindlimb paresis and ataxia. CONCLUSION: Neoplasia, specifically cutaneous lymphoma, and degenerative neurological conditions are the most frequent causes of death in captive Tasmanian devils in Tasmania. Further work to determine the aetiologies of these conditions, as well as effective treatments, would be valuable.

High blood lead concentrations in captive Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii): a threat to the conservation of the species?

BACKGROUND: The Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) is the world's largest extant marsupial carnivore. Since the emergence of devil facial tumour disease in 1996, the species has undergone a severe population decline. The insurance population (IP) was established in 2006 to build a disease-free captive population to maintain 95% of the wild Tasmanian devil genetic diversity for 50 years. Captive and semi-wild Tasmanian devils are fed with possum and wallaby meat provided by local hunters, who use lead ammunition. Lead ingestion can cause acute toxicity, including ataxia, coma and death, or chronic subclinical deleterious effects including decreased fertility. METHODS: We determined blood lead concentrations in 26 captive and 133 wild Tasmanian devils from various sites across Tasmania. RESULTS: Captive Tasmanian devils showed significantly higher blood lead concentrations than their conspecifics in the wild. In captivity, older animals had higher blood lead concentrations than young animals, which suggested regular exposure, as lead can accumulate in a living organism in the blood, soft tissues and bones. After a response measure was implemented by removing the heads and wounds containing lead from the diet, blood concentrations significantly decreased in animals at one of the captive study sites, supporting the suspicion of food as the source of lead. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the need to ensure meat fed to captive carnivores is not contaminated by lead, especially in the context of a conservation program breeding individuals in captivity, as for Tasmanian devils.

Multiple isolations of eastern equine encephalitis and highlands J viruses from mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) during a 1996 epizootic in southeastern Connecticut.

Thirty-six isolations of eastern equine encephalitis virus were obtained from 8 species of mosquitoes collected from 5 September through 18 October 1996 during an epizootic in southeastern Connecticut. These included Culiseta melanura (Coquillett) (19 isolates), Culex pipiens L. (8), Culiseta morsitans (Theobald) (3), Aedes sollicitans (Walker) (2), Aedes cantator (Coquillett) (1), Aedes trivittatus (Coquillett) (1), Aedes vexans (Meigen) (1), and Coquillettidia perturbans (Walker) (1). Isolations from Ae. cantator and Ae. trivittaus are new to North American records, and those from Ae. cantator and Ae. sollicitans represent the first infections of human-biting, salt-marsh mosquitoes with eastern equine encephalitis virus in Connecticut. With one exception, eastern equine encephalitis-infected Cs. melanura were found at all sites where eastern equine encephalitis virus was isolated. The large number of eastern equine encephalitis isolations from Cs. melanura and the collection of infected mosquitoes in residential woodlots and coastal salt marshes away from traditional red maple or white cedar swamp habitats, reaffirm the importance of local populations of this mosquito for viral amplification and dispersal from swamp foci. Highlands J virus was more widespread geographically, but fewer isolations of this virus were made from fewer species of mosquitoes. These included Cs. melanura (8 isolates), Cx. pipiens (5), Ae. vexans (3), Aedes canadensis (Theobald) (1), Ae. cantator (1) and Cs. morsitans (1). No human or horse cases of eastern equine encephalitis were reported, although this represents the largest number of isolations for eastern equine encephalitis ever recovered from field-collected mosquitoes in Connecticut.