Spontaneous Lesions of Endangered Geriatric Julia Creek Dunnarts (Sminthopsis douglasi, Archer 1979) with Emphasis in Reproductive Pathology.

Julia Creek dunnarts are an endangered species of carnivorous marsupials and the focus of multiple conservation strategies involving significant resources such as captive breeding programs. Despite the relevance for conservation, no study to date has focused on evaluating geriatric diseases in dunnarts. This study describes the pathology findings in a group of one wild and thirty-five captive-born, mostly geriatric Julia Creek dunnarts that failed to produce offspring over multiple breeding periods. A total of 20 females and 16 males were submitted for a postmortem examination, with ages ranging from 9 to 42 and 12 to 42 months for females and males, respectively. Of these, 10 had unremarkable findings. The most common condition in females was cystic glandular hyperplasia (n = 8), typical of hormonal dysregulation profiles in senescence, particularly hyperestrogenism. Rarely, cutaneous disease represented by unidentified dermal round cell infiltrates was observed in females (n = 2). Primary reproductive hormonal dysregulation was also suspected in males diagnosed with testicular degeneration, aspermatogenesis and/or atrophy (n = 3). Cutaneous round cell infiltrates, possibly compatible with epitheliotropic lymphomas, were seen in males (n = 3), and 2/3 affected males also had concurrent testicular degeneration or atrophy, indicating male sex could be a predictor for lymphoid neoplasia in aged dunnarts, especially in individuals with concurrent testosterone-luteinizing hormone dysregulation as it occurs in gonadectomized animals. The role of an underlying viral etiology is also explored. This study is the first to describe major spontaneous diseases in endangered aged Julia Creek dunnarts, providing an important understanding of senescence and geriatric diseases within a conservation context.

Colonic mucinous adenocarcinoma in a tufted deer: differential diagnosis and literature review.

An 18-y-old female tufted deer (Elaphodus cephalophus) had a short history of chronic diarrhea, progressive weight loss, and hindlimb instability. Given the poor prognosis, the deer was euthanized and submitted for postmortem examination. The most significant gross finding was segmental and multinodular mural thickening of the proximal colon. On cut surface of the affected colonic segments, 0.5-2-cm diameter, intramural, multiloculated, cystic structures containing gray, translucent, gelatinous material elevated the edematous mucosa. Microscopically, the intramural cystic structures were filled with mucinous matrix admixed with foamy macrophages, and lined by discontinuous segments of well-differentiated columnar, pancytokeratin-positive epithelium with basilar nuclei. Multifocally, transition was observed from hyperplastic mucosal crypt epithelium to dysplastic or neoplastic columnar and flattened epithelium lining submucosal and serosal cysts. Cyst lumina were irregularly disrupted by polypoid ingrowths of collagenous tissue covered by attenuated epithelium. Based on these findings, we diagnosed a well-differentiated mucinous adenocarcinoma. Although intestinal adenocarcinomas have been described in humans and animals, they are considered uncommon in most domestic species, except for sheep, for which genetic and environmental factors appear to influence occurrence. Our report addresses the knowledge gap regarding intestinal adenocarcinomas affecting cervids and specifically the tufted deer, a less-studied, near-threatened Asian cervid.

Necrotizing Salpingitis by Fowl Adenovirus in a Backyard Hen.

A 3-yr-old Ameraucana hen was received for postmortem examination following a 1-day history of lethargy and death. Gross lesions observed during necropsy were limited to pulmonary congestion and a small clump of egg yolk material in the oviductal lumen. On histopathology, there was a necrotizing salpingitis of the infundibular and isthmus mucosa with amphophilic, intranuclear inclusion bodies in superficial epithelial cells. Transmission electron microscopy identified the intranuclear inclusions as aggregates of adenovirus virions. Fowl adenovirus (FAdV) type A was identified with PCR and sequencing. Although the cause of death was not determined in this case, this is the first report of FAdV type A-associated salpingitis in a hen.

Reporte de caso- Salpingitis necrotizante por adenovirus en una gallina de traspatio. Una gallina de tres años fue recibida para examen post-mortem después de sufrir letargia por un día y la muerte. Las lesiones macroscópicas observadas durante la necropsia se limitaron a congestión pulmonar y pequeñas cantidades de yema de huevo en el lumen del oviducto. A través del examen histopatológico se observó una salpingitis necrotizante en la mucosa del infundíbulo e istmo con cuerpos de inclusión intranucleares y anfofílicos en las células epiteliales superficiales. Con el uso de microscopía electrónica de transmisión se determinó que las inclusiones intranucleares consistían en agregados de viriones de adenovirus. Se identificó adenovirus del pollo tipo A (FAdV) mediante PCR y secuenciación. Aunque la causa de muerte no fue determinada en este caso, este es el primer reporte de salpingitis asociada a la infección por adenovirus del pollo tipo A en una gallina.

Alimentary squamous cell carcinoma in psittacines: 12 cases and review of the literature.

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), which is a neoplasm that usually arises from the integument, is reported uncommonly in pet birds. Only a few reports of SCCs in the alimentary tract of birds, including psittacines, have been published, and a detailed description of the pathology is not available in the literature. We present here 12 cases of alimentary SCC in psittacines. The average age of the birds was 22.2 y (range: 15-29 y), and affected species included 4 Amazon parrots (Amazona sp.), 3 cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus), 3 macaws (Ara sp.), 1 conure (Eupsittula sp.), and 1 Senegal parrot (Poicephalus sp.). Frequent clinical complaints included regurgitation, dysphagia, dyspnea, lethargy, and/or weight loss. SCC primarily affected the oral cavity in 6 of 12 cases, the crop alone in 2 of 12 cases, the crop and esophagus in 1 of 12 cases, the proventriculus alone in 1 of 12 cases, and the crop, esophagus, and proventriculus in 2 of 12 cases. Histologically, alimentary SCCs were locally invasive and often resulted in mucosal ulceration. Although there were no metastases in any of our cases, poor clinical outcomes were frequent and associated most commonly with complete effacement of the alimentary segment and severe inflammation with opportunistic bacterial infection. Our review of the literature records commonly affected species, variability of gross presentations and clinical signs, plausible etiologies, and current diagnostic developments.

Decline causes of Koalas in South East Queensland, Australia: a 17-year retrospective study of mortality and morbidity.

Koala populations are in catastrophic decline in certain eastern Australian regions. Spanning from 1997-2013, a database derived from wildlife hospitals in southeast Queensland with N = 20,250 entries was classified by causes of morbidity and mortality. A total of 11 aetiologies were identified, with chlamydiosis, trauma, and wasting being most common. The clinical diagnosis at submission varied significantly over the observation period. Combinations of aetiologies were observed in 39% of koalas submitted, with chlamydiosis frequently co-occurring. Urogenital (cystitis 26.8%, bursitis 13.5%) and ocular (conjunctivitis 17.2%) chlamydiosis were the most frequently diagnosed representations of the infection. Approximately 26% of submissions comprised koalas involved in vehicle accidents that were otherwise healthy. Age and sex of the koala as well as season and submission period were compared for the case outcomes of 'dead on arrival', 'euthanized', or 'released' for the four most common clinical diagnoses using multinomial logistic regression models. Exploratory space-time permutation scans were performed and overlapping space-time clusters for chlamydiosis, motor vehicle traumas and wasting unveiled high risk areas for koala disease and injury. Our results suggest that these aetiologies are acting jointly as multifactorial determinants for the continuing decline of koalas.

Anti-leptospiral agglutinins in marmosets (Saguinus oedipus and Saguinus leucopus) from illegal trade / Aglutininas anti-leptospira en monos tití (Saguinus oedipus y Saguinus leucopus) de comercio ilegal

Objective. Determine the infection status with pathogenic Leptospira of one Saguinus oedipus and nine Saguinus leucopus at the Cali Zoo that had been confiscated in Colombia from illegal trade. Materials and methods. A full physical examination, blood work, urinalysis were conducted in all individuals during the reception health check-up, in addition to running the microagglutination test with a pool of 19 serovars, with a starting dilution of 1:50. Results. A high positive titer (≥1:3200) to Leptospira alexanderi serovar manhao in an asymptomatic S. oedipus was detected. All S. leucopus tested negative or less than 1:50. Conclusions. Captive locations have been documented to artificially enhance opportunities to come into contact with contaminated bodily fluids from peridomestic rodents. However, infectious diseases acquired during the illegal transport of wildlife to major metropolitan centers are rarely considered a wildlife conservation or public health threat. Infection with zoonotic pathogens should also be considered an additional threat to endangered wild primates involved in illegal trade, which could hamper reintroduction efforts or other population management procedures for primate species with restricted and fragmented distributions.

Objetivo. Determinar el estado de infección con Leptospira patógena en un Saguinus oedipus y nueve Saguinus leucopus en el Zoológico de Cali tras haber sido decomisados de tráfico ilegal en Colombia. Materiales y métodos. Se procedió a realizar un examen físico, cuadro hemático y bioquímica, urianálisis, y adicionalmente se realizó la prueba de microaglutinación con un pool de 19 serovares, en una dilución inicial de 1:50. Resultados. Se detectó una respuesta elevada en títulos (≥1:3200) a Leptospira alexanderi serovar manhao en un S. oedipus. Todos los S. leucopus resultaron negativos o con títulos menores de 1:50. Conclusiones. Se ha documentado que el cautiverio puede incrementar artificialmente las oportunidades para que los animales en encierros entren en contacto con fluidos corporales contaminados de roedores peridomésticos. Sin embargo, las enfermedades infecciosas adquiridas durante el transporte ilegal de la fauna silvestre a los principales centros metropolitanos son rara vez consideradas amenazas a la conservación de la fauna o para la salud pública. La infección con patógenos zoonóticos se debería también considerar como un riesgo adicional para primates en peligro de extinción involucrados en tráfico ilegal, lo que podría afectar esfuerzos de reintroducción u otras medidas de manejo de poblaciones de primates con distribuciones fragmentadas y restringidas.