| jet-setting koalas spread cryptococcus gattii vgii in australia. | cryptococcus gattii molecular type vgii is one of the etiologic agents of cryptococcosis, a systemic mycosis affecting a wide range of host species. koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) exhibit a comparatively high prevalence of cryptococcosis (clinical and subclinical) and nasal colonization, particularly in captivity. in australia, disease associated with c. gattii vgii is typically confined to western australia and the northern territory (with sporadic cases reported in eastern australia), occupyi ... | 2019 | 31167945 |
| oxalate-degrading bacteria, including oxalobacter formigenes, colonise the gastrointestinal tract of healthy koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) and those with oxalate nephrosis. | koalas in the mount lofty ranges, south australia, have a high prevalence of oxalate nephrosis, or calcium oxalate kidney crystals. gastrointestinal tract oxalate-degrading bacteria, particularly oxalobacter formigenes, have been identified in other animal species and humans, and their absence or low abundance is postulated to increase the risk of renal oxalate diseases. this study aimed to identify oxalate-degrading bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract of koalas and determine their associatio ... | 2019 | 31025325 |
| detection of a range of genetically diverse chlamydiae in australian domesticated and wild ungulates. | chlamydiae are globally widespread obligate intracellular bacteria, which several species are a well-recognized threat to human and animal health. in australia, the most successful chlamydial species are the infamous koala pathogen c. pecorum, and c. psittaci, an emerging pathogen associated with zoonotic events. little is known about infections caused by other chlamydial organisms in australian livestock or wildlife. considering that these hosts can be encountered by humans at the animal/human ... | 2019 | 30873753 |
| seventy years of chlamydia vaccine research - limitations of the past and directions for the future. | chlamydia is a major bacterial pathogen that infects humans, as well as a wide range of animals, including marsupials, birds, cats, pigs, cattle, and sheep. antibiotics are the only treatment currently available, however, with high rates of re-infection, there is mounting pressure to develop chlamydia vaccines. in this review, we analyzed how chlamydia vaccine trials have developed over the past 70 years and identified where future trials need to be focused. there has been a strong bias toward s ... | 2019 | 30766521 |
| the relative contribution of causal factors in the transition from infection to clinical chlamydial disease. | chlamydia is a major bacterial pathogen in humans and animals globally. yet 80% of infections never progress to clinical disease. decades of research have generated an interconnected network linking pathogen, host, and environmental factors to disease expression, but the relative importance of these and whether they account for disease progression remains unknown. to address this, we used structural equation modeling to evaluate putative factors likely to contribute to urogenital and ocular chla ... | 2018 | 29891934 |
| quantitative analysis of the maturation of the main and accessory olfactory systems in monotremes and metatherians in comparison to rodents and humans. | we have used an unbiased statistical approach to compare the pace of development in the main and accessory olfactory systems in monotremes and metatherians with that in rodents and humans. we hypothesized that if metatherians and monotremes, which are born at small body size, use olfaction to locate the pouch and/or teat/milk field, then olfactory structures should reach structural maturity in metatherians and monotremes at a smaller size than eutherians like humans and rodents. the achievement ... | 2018 | 29544028 |
| expanded molecular typing of sarcoptes scabiei provides further evidence of disease spillover events in the epidemiology of sarcoptic mange in australian marsupials. | the invasive ectoparasite sarcoptes scabiei affects the welfare and conservation of australian marsupials. molecular data suggest that spillover from other hosts may be responsible for the emergence of this infectious disease, but the scale of such studies is limited. we performed expanded molecular typing of the s. scabiei mitochondrial cox1 gene from 81 skin scrapings from infested wombats ( vombatus ursinus), koalas ( phascolarctos cinereus), red foxes ( vulpes vulpes), and dogs ( canis lupus ... | 2019 | 30096035 |
| the anatomy of a crushing bite: the specialised cranial mechanics of a giant extinct kangaroo. | the sthenurinae were a diverse subfamily of short-faced kangaroos that arose in the miocene and diversified during the pliocene and pleistocene. many species possessed skull morphologies that were relatively structurally reinforced with bone, suggesting that they were adapted to incorporate particularly resistant foods into their diets. however, the functional roles of many unique, robust features of the sthenurine cranium are not yet clearly defined. here, the finite element method is applied t ... | 2019 | 31509570 |
| movement behavior profiles and obesity: a latent profile analysis of 24-h time-use composition among danish workers. | an element of obesity prevention is increasing total physical activity energy expenditure. however, this approach does not incorporate the balance of various movement behaviors-physical activity, sedentary behaviors and sleep-across domains of the day. we aimed to identify time-use profiles over work and leisure, termed 'movement behavior profiles' and to investigate their association with obesity. | 2020 | 31341260 |
| six decades of preventing and treating childhood anxiety disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis to inform policy and practice. | anxiety disorders are the most prevalent childhood mental disorders. they also start early and persist, causing high individual and collective costs. to inform policy and practice, we therefore asked: what is the best available research evidence on preventing and treating these disorders? | 2019 | 31315926 |
| koala and wombat gammaherpesviruses encode the first known viral ntpdase homologs and are phylogenetically divergent from all known gammaherpesviruses. | there is a large taxonomic gap in our understanding of mammalian herpesvirus genetics and evolution corresponding to those herpesviruses that infect marsupials, which diverged from eutherian mammals approximately 150 million years ago (mya). we compare the genomes of two marsupial gammaherpesviruses, phascolarctid gammaherpesvirus 1 (phahv1) and vombatid gammaherpesvirus 1 (vohv1), which infect koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) and wombats (vombatus ursinus), respectively. the core viral genomes w ... | 2019 | 30567986 |
| potential animal reservoir of mycobacterium ulcerans: a systematic review. | mycobacterium ulcerans is the causative agent of buruli ulcer, also known in australia as daintree ulcer or bairnsdale ulcer. this destructive skin disease is characterized by extensive and painless necrosis of the skin and soft tissue with the formation of large ulcers, commonly on the leg or arm. to date, 33 countries with tropical, subtropical and temperate climates in africa, the americas, asia and the western pacific have reported cases of buruli ulcer. the disease is rarely fatal, although ... | 2018 | 30274452 |
| network support using social networking services to increase exercise adherence among korean-chinese middle-aged migrant women: mixed methods study. | social networking services (snss) are recognized to be a promising approach to easily deliver health interventions and to enhance social support for exercise adherence. however, the patterns and aspects of social support through snss have not been reported and their influence on other social-cognitive factors remains inconclusive. | 2020 | 33151155 |
| isolation and sequence-based characterization of a koala symbiont: lonepinella koalarum. | koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) are highly specialized herbivorous marsupials that feed almost exclusively on eucalyptus leaves, which are known to contain varying concentrations of many different toxic chemical compounds. the literature suggests that lonepinella koalarum, a bacterium in the pasteurellaceae family, can break down some of these toxic chemical compounds. furthermore, in a previous study, we identified l. koalarum as the most predictive taxon of koala survival during antibiotic tre ... | 2020 | 33150080 |
| koalas vaccinated against koala retrovirus respond by producing increased levels of interferon-gamma. | koala retrovirus (korv) is believed to be in an active state of endogenization into the koala genome. korv is present as both an endogenous and exogenous infection in all koalas in northern australia. korv has been linked to koala pathologies including neoplasia and increased susceptibility to chlamydia. a korv vaccine recently trialled in 10 northern koalas improved antibody response and reduced viral load. this communication reports the expression of key immune genes underlining the innate and ... | 2020 | 33129323 |
| a 29-year retrospective analysis of koala rescues in new south wales, australia. | the koala (phascolarctos cinereus) is currently listed by both the iucn and the australian governments' threatened species scientific committee as vulnerable to extinction with an overall decreasing population trend. it is unknown exactly how many koalas remain in the wild, but it is known that habitat fragmentation and bushfires have ultimately contributed to the decline of the koala all over australia. this novel study is a retrospective analysis of data over a 29-year period (1989-2018) using ... | 2020 | 33112860 |
| capturing complex vaccine-immune-disease relationships for free-ranging koalas: higher chlamydial loads are associated with less il17 expression and more chlamydial disease. | background: chlamydial disease is a major factor negatively affecting koala populations. vaccination is a promising management option that would result in immune-mediated protection against disease. measuring and assessing vaccine efficacy can be challenging owing to both direct and indirect interactions caused by vaccination. in this study, we investigate vaccine-immune-chlamydial load-disease relationships from momp (major outer membrane protein) vaccine trials to protect healthy free-ranging ... | 2020 | 33102563 |
| high-throughput immunogenetic typing of koalas suggests possible link between mhc alleles and cancers. | characterizing the allelic diversity within major histocompatibility complex (mhc) genes is an important way of determining the potential genetic resilience of a population to infectious and ecological pressures. for the koala (phascolarctos cinereus), endemic diseases, anthropogenic factors and climate change are all placing increased pressure on this vulnerable marsupial. to increase the ability of researchers to study mhc genetics in koalas, this study developed and tested a high-throughput i ... | 2020 | 33083849 |
| kids' outcomes and long-term abilities (koala): protocol for a prospective, longitudinal cohort study of mild traumatic brain injury in children 6 months to 6 years of age. | mild traumatic brain injury (mtbi) is highly prevalent, especially in children under 6 years. however, little research focuses on the consequences of mtbi early in development. the objective of the kids' outcomes and long-term abilities (koala) study is to document the impact of early mtbi on children's motor, cognitive, social and behavioural functioning, as well as on quality of life, stress, sleep and brain integrity. | 2020 | 33077571 |
| numerical analysis of the cerebral cortex in diprotodontids (marsupialia; australidelphia) and comparison with eutherian brains. | diprotodontids are a diverse group of australian metatherians, which occupy a range of ecological niches from nectar and pollen-feeders to grazers and folivores. the group encompasses small-brained nectar-feeding species (tarsipes) and large-brained grazing and browsing species (macropods). this group of australian metatherians therefore represents an opportunity to examine how the cerebral cortex has expanded in an adaptive radiation quite independent of that occurring among eutherians. we have ... | 2020 | 33059305 |
| koala immunogenetics and chlamydial strain type are more directly involved in chlamydial disease progression in koalas from two south east queensland koala populations than koala retrovirus subtypes. | chlamydial disease control is increasingly utilised as a management tool to stabilise declining koala populations, and yet we have a limited understanding of the factors that contribute to disease progression. to examine the impact of host and pathogen genetics, we selected two geographically separated south east queensland koala populations, differentially affected by chlamydial disease, and analysed koala major histocompatibility complex (mhc) genes, circulating strains of chlamydia pecorum an ... | 2020 | 32929174 |
| the longitudinal relationship between screen time, sleep and a diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in childhood. | to evaluate longitudinal associations between recreational screen time and sleep in early childhood, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (adhd) at age 8 to 10 years. | 2020 | 32924722 |
| identification and prevalence of phascolarctid gammaherpesvirus types 1 and 2 in south australian koala populations. | to determine phascolarctid gammaherpesviruses (phahv) infection in south australian koala populations, 80 oropharyngeal swabs from wild-caught and 87 oropharyngeal spleen samples and swabs from euthanased koalas were tested using two specific pcr assays developed to detect phahv-1 and phahv-2. in wild-caught koalas, active shedding of phahv was determined by positive oropharyngeal samples in 72.5% (58/80) of animals, of which 44.8% (26/58) had phahv-1, 20.7% (12/58) phahv-2 and 34.5% (20/58) bot ... | 2020 | 32867109 |
| new technologies in the mix: assessing n-mixture models for abundance estimation using automated detection data from drone surveys. | reliable estimates of abundance are critical in effectively managing threatened species, but the feasibility of integrating data from wildlife surveys completed using advanced technologies such as remotely piloted aircraft systems (rpas) and machine learning into abundance estimation methods such as n-mixture modeling is largely unknown due to the unique sources of detection errors associated with these technologies.we evaluated two modeling approaches for estimating the abundance of koalas dete ... | 2020 | 32788970 |
| koala retrovirus epidemiology, transmission mode, pathogenesis, and host immune response in koalas (phascolarctos cinereus): a review. | koala retrovirus (korv) is a major threat to koala health and conservation. it also represents a series of challenges across the fields of virology, immunology, and epidemiology that are of great potential interest to any researcher in the field of retroviral diseases. korv is a gammaretrovirus that is present in both endogenous and exogenous forms in koala populations, with a still-active endogenization process. korv may induce immunosuppression and neoplastic conditions such as lymphoma and le ... | 2020 | 32770481 |
| clinical comparison of five anti-chlamydial antibiotics in koalas (phascolarctos cinereus). | chlamydiosis is the most significant infectious disease of koalas (phascolarctos cinereus). it is primarily a systemic sexually transmitted disease caused by chlamydia pecorum and was responsible for 46% of the 2348 koala admissions to australia zoo wildlife hospital between 2013 and 2017. treatment of chlamydiosis in koalas is complicated by three major factors. firstly, koalas rely on bacterial fermentation of their high fibre diet making antibiotic therapy a risk. secondly, they possess effic ... | 2020 | 32730301 |
| re: symmetric dimethylarginine values in koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) based on oxalate nephrosis status. | | 2020 | 32716240 |
| therapeutic vaccination of koalas harbouring endogenous koala retrovirus (korv) improves antibody responses and reduces circulating viral load. | the long-term survival of the koala is under serious threat from multiple factors, including infectious disease agents such as chlamydia and koala retrovirus (korv). korv is present in both exogenous and endogenous forms, depending on the geographical location of the population. in the northern half of australia, it is present as an endogenous infection in all koalas, making a case for an urgent need to develop a therapeutic vaccine that might prevent korv-associated pathologies in these koalas. ... | 2020 | 32699650 |
| histological survey for oxalate nephrosis in victorian koalas (phascolarctos cinereus). | the mount lofty ranges koala (phascolarctos cinereus) population in south australia has a high prevalence of the renal disease oxalate nephrosis, for which an underlying genetic cause is suspected. south australian koalas primarily originate from those in french island, victoria; however, oxalate nephrosis has not previously been reported in victorian koalas. examination of kidney tissue sections from 63 koalas across victoria found that nine koalas were affected by oxalate nephrosis (14.3%). th ... | 2020 | 32643193 |
| a new family of diprotodontian marsupials from the latest oligocene of australia and the evolution of wombats, koalas, and their relatives (vombatiformes). | we describe the partial cranium and skeleton of a new diprotodontian marsupial from the late oligocene (~26-25 ma) namba formation of south australia. this is one of the oldest australian marsupial fossils known from an associated skeleton and it reveals previously unsuspected morphological diversity within vombatiformes, the clade that includes wombats (vombatidae), koalas (phascolarctidae) and several extinct families. several aspects of the skull and teeth of the new taxon, which we refer to ... | 2020 | 32587406 |
| vaccination of koalas during antibiotic treatment for chlamydia-induced cystitis induces an improved antibody response to chlamydia pecorum. | chlamydia infection and disease are endemic in free-ranging koalas. antibiotics remain the front line treatment for chlamydia in koalas, despite their rates of treatment failure and adverse gut dysbiosis outcomes. a chlamydia vaccine for koalas has shown promise for replacing antibiotic treatment in mild ocular chlamydia disease. in more severe disease presentations that require antibiotic intervention, the effect of vaccinating during antibiotic use is not currently known. this study investigat ... | 2020 | 32576914 |
| helping koalas battle disease - recent advances in chlamydia and koala retrovirus (korv) disease understanding and treatment in koalas. | the iconic australian marsupial, the koala (phascolarctos cinereus), has suffered dramatic population declines as a result of habitat loss and fragmentation, disease, vehicle collision mortality, dog attacks, bushfires and climate change. in 2012, koalas were officially declared vulnerable by the australian government and listed as a threatened species. in response, research into diseases affecting koalas has expanded rapidly. the two major pathogens affecting koalas are chlamydia pecorum, leadi ... | 2020 | 32556174 |
| induced pluripotent stem cells on a chip: a self-contained, accessible, pipette-less ipsc culturing and differentiation kit. | over the past decade, induced pluripotent stem cells (ipscs) have become a major focus of stem cell and developmental biology research, offering researchers a clinically relevant source of cells that are amenable to genetic engineering approaches. though stem cells are promising for both research and commercial endeavors, ipsc-based assays require tedious protocols that include complex treatments, expensive reagents, and specialized equipment that limit their integration into academic curricula ... | 2020 | 32552316 |
| the distribution and abundance of an unusual resource for koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) in a sodium-poor environment. | environmentally available sodium tends to decrease with increasing elevation, and sodium resources in these sodium-poor environments are critical for the survival of herbivores. eucalypt leaves in the subalpine monaro region of nsw, australia contain much less sodium than eucalypt leaves at lower elevations, and subalpine koalas obtain this much needed resource by eating the bark from some eucalyptus mannifera trees. to better understand the availability of salty-barked trees, we searched for ev ... | 2020 | 32525918 |
| inbreeding and disease avoidance in a free-ranging koala population. | habitat destruction and fragmentation are increasing globally, forcing surviving species into small, isolated populations. isolated populations typically experience heightened inbreeding risk and associated inbreeding depression and population decline; although individuals in these populations may mitigate these risks through inbreeding avoidance strategies. for koalas, as dietary specialists already under threat in the northern parts of their range, increased habitat fragmentation and associate ... | 2020 | 32470998 |
| body temperature of free-ranging koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) in south-east queensland. | the distribution of the koala (phascolarctos cinereus) in queensland is predicted to contract as a result of climate change, driven by the frequency, intensity and duration of heatwaves and drought. however, little is known about the physiological responses of this species to environmental extremes under field conditions. this study aimed to establish the efficacy of surgically implanted thermal radio transmitters and data loggers to measure the body temperature of free-ranging koalas across a r ... | 2020 | 32388686 |
| pathological findings in koala retrovirus-positive koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) from northern and southern australia. | koala retrovirus (korv) infection shows differences in prevalence and load between northern and southern australian koala populations; however, the effect of this on diseases such as lymphoma and chlamydial disease is unclear. this study compared clinicopathological findings, haematology and splenic lymphoid area of korv-positive koalas from northern (queensland [qld], n = 67) and southern (south australia [sa], n = 92) populations in order to provide further insight into korv pathogenesis. bloo ... | 2020 | 32359636 |
| effects of amusing memes on concern for unappealing species. | there is limited knowledge of the mechanisms that can inspire people's concern and engagement in the protection of unpopular and unappealing species. we analyzed polish people's interest in themed internet memes featuring the proboscis monkey (nasalis larvatus) and the consequences of this interest for conservation marketing. we examined google trends data, used google search, and searched popular media materials to estimate interest in the proboscis monkey in poland. photos of the proboscis mon ... | 2020 | 32348597 |
| field immobilization using alfaxalone and alfaxalone-medetomidine in free-ranging koalas (phascolarctos cinereus): a randomized comparative study. | to characterize and compare two intramuscular drug protocols using alfaxalone and alfaxalone-medetomidine combination for the field immobilization of free-ranging koalas. | 2020 | 32276883 |
| low-cost sensors as an alternative for long-term air quality monitoring. | low-cost air quality sensors are increasingly being used in many applications; however, many of their performance characteristics have not been adequately investigated. this study was conducted over a period of 13 months using low-cost air quality monitors, each comprising two low-cost sensors, which were subjected to a wide range of pollution sources and concentrations, relative humidity and temperature at four locations in australia and china. the aim of the study was to establish the performa ... | 2020 | 32276167 |
| symmetric dimethylarginine values in koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) based on oxalate nephrosis status. | oxalate nephrosis is a prevalent renal disease in koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) of the mount lofty ranges population in south australia. the symmetric dimethylarginine (sdma) assay is widely used in companion animals to diagnose renal disease, particularly in the early stages. this study aimed to determine: (1) reference intervals for sdma in koalas and (2) sdma values of koalas with oxalate nephrosis. blood samples were collected from 41 mount lofty ranges koalas euthanased on welfare grounds ... | 2020 | 32189333 |
| transmission of koala retrovirus from parent koalas to a joey in a japanese zoo. | koala retrovirus (korv) is of an interest to virologists due to its currently active endogenization into the koala (phascolarctos cinereus) genome. although korv has frequently been isolated in wild and captive koala populations, its pathogenesis and transmission remain to be fully characterized, and most previous research has concentrated on adult koalas rather than on joeys. here, we characterized korv isolates obtained from a deceased male joey and its parents (animals reared in a japanese zo ... | 2020 | 32188730 |
| polyphasic characterisation of cedecea colo sp. nov., a new enteric bacterium isolated from the koala hindgut. | the cedecea genus is comprised of six rarely isolated species within the enterobacteriaceae family. representatives are gram-negative motile bacilli, and are typically oxidase-negative, lipase-positive and resistant to colistin and cephalothin. in this study, a putative novel cedecea species (designated strain za_0188t), isolated from the koala hindgut, was characterised using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. maximum average nucleotide identity (ani) and 16s ribosomal rna (rrna) similarity score ... | 2020 | 32102268 |
| wildfire puts koalas at risk of extinction. | | 2020 | 32054755 |
| haematological reference intervals of wild southern australian koalas (phascolarctos cinereus). | current haematology reference intervals (ris) for koalas were developed in northern australian koalas, using low numbers and/or individuals of unknown chlamydia pecorum and koala retrovirus (korv) status. this study developed haematological ris for wild, clinically healthy southern australian koalas of known c. pecorum and korv infection status and investigated the effects of population, age and sex. | 2020 | 32037511 |
| novel insights into viral infection and oncogenesis from koala retrovirus (korv) infection of hek293t cells. | koala retrovirus is thought to be an underlying cause of high levels of neoplasia and immunosuppression in koalas. while epidemiology studies suggest a strong link between korv and disease it has been difficult to prove causality because of the complex nature of the virus, which exists in both endogenous and exogenous forms. it has been difficult to identify koalas completely free of korv, and infection studies in koalas or koala cells are fraught with ethical and technical difficulties, respect ... | 2020 | 31972306 |
| periodontal disease in free-ranging koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) from the mount lofty ranges, south australia, and its association with koala retrovirus infection. | in northern australian koala populations (queensland and new south wales), periodontal disease (gingivitis and periodontitis) is common while koala retrovirus subtype a is endogenous, with other subtypes transmitted exogenously. koala retrovirus has been hypothesised to cause immune suppression and may predispose koalas to diseases caused by concurrent infections. in southern australia populations (victoria and south australia) periodontal disease has not been investigated, and koala retrovirus ... | 2020 | 31971256 |
| koala retrovirus viral load and disease burden in distinct northern and southern koala populations. | koala retrovirus (korv) displays features of both an endogenous and exogenous virus and is linked to neoplasia and immunosuppression in koalas. this study explores the apparent differences in the nature and impact of korv infection between geographically and genetically separated "northern" and "southern" koala populations, by investigating the disease status, completeness of the korv genome and the proviral (dna) and viral (rna) loads of 71 northern and 97 southern koalas. all northern animals ... | 2020 | 31937823 |
| changes in antioxidant capacity of koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) based on health status and measurement of the antioxidant ascorbate in eucalypt leaves. | antioxidants have a crucial role in protecting the body from oxidative stress, which would otherwise result in cellular damage and possibly predispose animals to disease. the antioxidant capacity of koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) and its association with health or disease status is currently unknown. ascorbate, a dietary antioxidant, has previously been identified in a few eucalypt species eaten by koalas. this study aimed to determine 1) differences between the antioxidant capacity of healthy ... | 2020 | 31926516 |
| quantifying koala locomotion strategies: implications for the evolution of arborealism in marsupials. | the morphology and locomotor performance of a species can determine their inherent fitness within a habitat type. koalas have an unusual morphology for marsupials, with several key adaptations suggested to increase stability in arboreal environments. we quantified the kinematics of their movement over ground and along narrow arboreal trackways to determine the extent to which their locomotion resembled that of primates, occupying similar niches, or basal marsupials from which they evolved. on th ... | 2019 | 31848216 |
| using virtual reality and thermal imagery to improve statistical modelling of vulnerable and protected species. | biodiversity loss and sparse observational data mean that critical conservation decisions may be based on little to no information. emerging technologies, such as airborne thermal imaging and virtual reality, may facilitate species monitoring and improve predictions of species distribution. here we combined these two technologies to predict the distribution of koalas, specialized arboreal foliovores facing population declines in many parts of eastern australia. for a study area in southeast aust ... | 2019 | 31825957 |
| using thermal imaging to monitor body temperature of koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) in a zoo setting. | non-invasive techniques can be applied for monitoring the physiology and behaviour of wildlife in zoos to improve management and welfare. thermal imaging technology has been used as a non-invasive technique to measure the body temperature of various domesticated and wildlife species. in this study, we evaluated the application of thermal imaging to measure the body temperature of koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) in a zoo environment. the aim of the study was to determine the body feature most sui ... | 2019 | 31817758 |
| a necropsy study of disease and comorbidity trends in morbidity and mortality in the koala (phascolarctos cinereus) in south-east queensland, australia. | koalas are an iconic australian marsupial undergoing precipitous population reduction in south-east queensland from complex interacting threats. to investigate the causes of death and the interaction of comorbidities with demography in south-east queensland koalas, a large scale, high-throughput prospective necropsy survey was conducted spanning 2013-2016. during this period, 519 necropsies were conducted in 155 young/subadult koalas, 235 mature, 119 old koalas and 10 of unknown age. similar num ... | 2019 | 31767897 |
| effects of eucalypt plant monoterpenes on koala (phascolarctos cinereus) cytokine expression in vitro. | protective immunity is crucial for survival of any species, though the koala as a specialist feeder adapted to an exclusive diet of eucalypts that contain plant secondary metabolites of varying toxicity and of immunomodulatory property. being constantly exposed to such dietary chemicals it raises the question of their immune effects in a specialist eucalypt feeder. this study demonstrates that natural levels of circulating eucalypt plant secondary metabolites have dose dependent in vitro effects ... | 2019 | 31719541 |
| malocclusions in the koala (phascolarctos cinereus). | malocclusions are a misalignment or incorrect positioning of the teeth when the upper and lower jaws close. these are poorly described in the koala and can result in irregular mastication which can have lifelong effects on body condition and oral health. a total of 370 koalas from two populations in queensland (295) and one in south australia (75) were examined for malocclusions. the prevalence of malocclusions in south australian free-ranging koalas, captive queensland koalas and queensland fre ... | 2019 | 31631313 |
| pirnas rise to rescue koalas. | piwi-interacting small rnas (pirnas) establish sequence-specific adaptive restriction of resident genomic parasites to guard genome integrity. in this issue of cell, yu, koppetsch, et al. describe an innate pirna-response that specifically fragments the viral rna genome in the germline of recently invaded koalas. this first line of defense might ensure survival until adaptive immunity develops. | 2019 | 31626765 |
| the pirna response to retroviral invasion of the koala genome. | antisense piwi-interacting rnas (pirnas) guide silencing of established transposons during germline development, and sense pirnas drive ping-pong amplification of the antisense pool, but how the germline responds to genome invasion is not understood. the korv-a gammaretrovirus infects the soma and germline and is sweeping through wild koalas by a combination of horizontal and vertical transfer, allowing direct analysis of retroviral invasion of the germline genome. gammaretroviruses produce spli ... | 2019 | 31607510 |
| physical activity and asthma development in childhood: prospective birth cohort study. | sedentary behavior and decreased physical activity are possible risk factors for developing asthma. this longitudinal study investigates the association between physical activity and subsequent asthma. we hypothesize that children with decreased physical activity at early school age, have higher risk of developing asthma. | 2020 | 31571422 |
| longitudinal study of wild koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) reveals chlamydial disease progression in two thirds of infected animals. | chlamydial disease threatens many of australia's koala populations, and yet our understanding of chlamydial epidemiology and disease dynamics in koalas is limited by a lack of comprehensive, longitudinal population studies. to address this, we utilised longitudinal samples from a large-scale population study of wild koalas in south-east queensland, to follow chlamydial infections over time and to investigate some of the drivers of disease progression. our findings show, firstly, that almost two ... | 2019 | 31519969 |
| cortisol measurement in koala (phascolarctos cinereus) fur. | optimal methods of hormone extraction used to measure stress in animals across sample types are not always the same. australia's iconic marsupial species, the koala (phascolarctos cinereus), faces prolonged exposure to anthropogenic-induced stressors and assessment of chronic stress in wild populations is urgently warranted. one of the most effective ways to measure chronic stress is through analyzing the glucocorticoid hormone cortisol in hair or fur, as it supports physiological and behavioral ... | 2019 | 31498324 |
| coinfection with koala retrovirus subtypes a and b and its impact on captive koalas in japanese zoos. | koala retrovirus (korv) is unique among endogenous retroviruses because its endogenization is still active. two major korv subtypes, korv-a and b, have been described, and korv-b is associated with disease and poses a health threat to koalas. here, we investigated the co-prevalence of korv-a and korv-b, detected by type-specific pcr and sequencing, and their impact on the health of koalas in three japanese zoos. we also investigated korv proviral loads and found varying amounts of genomic dna (g ... | 2019 | 31486907 |
| using the koala (phascolarctos cinereus) as a case study to illustrate the development of artificial breeding technology in marsupials: an update. | the successful development and application of an assisted breeding program in any animal relies primarily on a thorough understanding of the fundamental reproductive biology (anatomy, physiology and behaviour) of the species in question. surely, the ultimate goal and greatest hallmark of such a program is the efficacious establishment of a series of reliable techniques that facilitate the reproductive and genetic management of fragmented populations, both in captivity and in the wild. such an ac ... | 2019 | 31471803 |
| reproductive science as an essential component of conservation biology: new edition. | the previous edition of this book mainly provided a snapshot of the state of the art in terms of species-specific reproductive biology and emerging technologies. the influence of environmental changes on reproductive fitness was introduced but not fully explored. the objectives of this second edition were to (1) emphasize the need for holistic and global efforts to understand and sustain reproduction in a constantly changing environment and (2) provide more knowledge in the reproductive physiolo ... | 2019 | 31471792 |
| antibody response against koala retrovirus (korv) in koalas harboring korv-a in the presence or absence of korv-b. | koala retrovirus (korv) is in the process of endogenization into the koala (phascolarctos cinereus) genome and is currently spreading through the australian koala population. understanding how the koala's immune system responds to korv infection is critical for developing an efficacious vaccine to protect koalas. to this end, we analyzed the antibody response of 235 wild koalas, sampled longitudinally over a four-year period, that harbored korv-a, and with or without korv-b. we found that the ma ... | 2019 | 31455828 |
| no evidence of toxoplasma gondii exposure in south australian koalas (phascolarctos cinereus). | infection with the cat-borne parasite toxoplasma gondii has been detected in numerous australian marsupials and can lead to severe disease (toxoplasmosis) in some cases. the seroprevalence of toxoplasma on kangaroo island, south australia has been reported to be higher than the south australian mainland in macropods, cats, and sheep, suggesting an increased risk of infection on this island. however, toxoplasma seroprevalence in small- and medium-sized terrestrial mammals was almost zero on the i ... | 2019 | 31424325 |
| kegg mapper for inferring cellular functions from protein sequences. | kegg is a reference knowledge base for biological interpretation of large-scale molecular datasets, such as genome and metagenome sequences. it accumulates experimental knowledge about high-level functions of the cell and the organism represented in terms of kegg molecular networks, including kegg pathway maps, brite hierarchies, and kegg modules. by the process called kegg mapping, a set of protein coding genes in the genome, for example, can be converted to kegg molecular networks enabling int ... | 2020 | 31423653 |
| ingestion and absorption of eucalypt monoterpenes in the specialist feeder, the koala (phascolarctos cinereus). | the koala is a specialist feeder with a diet consisting almost exclusively of potentially toxic eucalypt leaves. monoterpenes, an abundant class of plant secondary metabolites in eucalypts, are highly lipophilic. chronic absorption and systemic exposure can be anticipated for the koala, causing health effects in various ways when consumed in high amounts, but particularly causing alterations in immune function in this species. therefore, careful leaf selection, efficient detoxification pathways, ... | 2019 | 31422515 |
| rapid point-of-care diagnostics for the detection of chlamydia pecorum in koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) using loop-mediated isothermal amplification without nucleic acid purification. | infectious disease, predominately chlamydiosis, contributes significantly to the decline in health of wild koala (phascolarctos cinereus) populations in some regions of australia. in this study, we describe the development and evaluation of a simple, sensitive, and specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification (lamp) assay for the detection of chlamydia pecorum in koalas as a point-of-care diagnostic tool that can be used in any wildlife hospital and in the field on specialized instrumentation ... | 2019 | 31419041 |
| antibiotic treatment of chlamydia-induced cystitis in the koala is linked to expression of key inflammatory genes in reactive oxygen pathways. | chlamydial-induced cystitis in the koala (phascolarctos cinereus) is currently treated by antibiotics. however, while reducing the chlamydial load, this treatment can also lead to gastrointestinal complications and death. development of alternative treatments, such as a therapeutic chlamydial vaccine, are hindered by the lack of detailed understanding of the innate immune response to chlamydial clearance and disease regression during antibiotic treatment. through clinical, microbiological and tr ... | 2019 | 31415633 |
| altered immune parameters associated with koala retrovirus (korv) and chlamydial infection in free ranging victorian koalas (phascolarctos cinereus). | koala retrovirus (korv) has been widely speculated to cause immune suppression in koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) and to underlie the koala's susceptibility to infectious disease, however evidence for immunomodulation is limited. the aim of this study is to determine whether immunophenotypic changes are associated with korv infection in free ranging victorian koalas. qpcr was used to examine mrna expression for th1 (ifnγ), th2-promoting (il6, il10) and th17 (il17a) cytokines, along with cd4 and ... | 2019 | 31371797 |
| epidemiology of chlamydia-induced reproductive disease in male koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) from southeast queensland, australia as assessed from penile urethral swabs and semen. | declining population sizes of koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) in se queensland (qld), australia can partially be attributed to chlamydiosis, with the majority of epidemiological studies focusing on the prevalence of infection and associated pathology in female koalas, with lesser attention given to males. we aimed to explore the epidemiology of chlamydia pecorum infection in the male urogenital tract from wild (hospitalized and free-ranging) koalas in se qld. although 67% of male koalas were inf ... | 2020 | 31329524 |
| genetic diversity of koala retrovirus env gene subtypes: insights into northern and southern koala populations. | koala retrovirus (korv) is a recently endogenized retrovirus associated with neoplasia and immunosuppression in koala populations. the virus is known to display sequence variability and to be present at varying prevalence in different populations, with animals in southern australia displaying lower prevalence and viral loads than northern animals. this study used a pcr and next-generation sequencing strategy to examine the diversity of the korv env gene in both proviral dna and viral rna forms i ... | 2019 | 31329088 |
| predation by carpet pythons (morelia spilota) is an important cause of mortality in a free-living koala (phascolarctos cinereus) population in south east queensland. | koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) are experiencing significant declines across the northern part of their range. however, unbiased, population-level estimates of mortality are rarely reported, as it's difficult to quantify causes of mortality robustly in this cryptic species. we aimed to determine the relative importance of carpet python (morelia spilota) predation in a free-living koala population and describe the characteristic pathological findings during necropsy. in total, 503 koalas were cap ... | 2019 | 31310015 |
| the value of long-term citizen science data for monitoring koala populations. | the active collection of wildlife sighting data by trained observers is expensive, restricted to small geographical areas and conducted infrequently. reporting of wildlife sightings by members of the public provides an opportunity to collect wildlife data continuously over wider geographical areas, at lower cost. we used individual koala sightings reported by members of the public between 1997 and 2013 in south-east queensland, australia (n = 14,076 koala sightings) to describe spatial and tempo ... | 2019 | 31296892 |
| clinical and pathological characteristics of acute myelogenous leukemia in a female koala with diabetes mellitus. | a female koala presented with hyperglycemia related to diabetes mellitus diagnosed at 9 years and treated with insulin. she presented with nasal hemorrhage, anemia, leukocytosis, and tachypnea at 10 years. a blood smear examination revealed scattered, atypical large myeloid cells and a clinical diagnosis of myelogenous leukemia was made. white blood cell count reached a maximum of 295 × 102/µl, with evidence of severe regenerative anemia and thrombocytopenia. grossly, systemic lymph node enlarge ... | 2019 | 31270282 |
| changes in endogenous and exogenous koala retrovirus subtype expression over time reflect koala health outcomes. | koala retrovirus (korv) is unique in that it exists as both an exogenous and actively endogenizing gamma retrovirus of koalas. while nine subtypes of korv have been recognized, focused study of these subtypes in koalas over time and with different health outcomes has been lacking. therefore, in this study, three wild koala cohorts were established and monitored to examine korv proviral and expression data from koalas that either remained healthy over time, began healthy before developing chlamyd ... | 2019 | 31243137 |
| pharmacokinetic profile of amoxicillin and its glucuronide-like metabolite when administered subcutaneously to koalas (phascolarctos cinereus). | amoxicillin was administered as a single subcutaneous injection at 12.5 mg/kg to four koalas and changes in amoxicillin plasma concentrations over 24 hr were quantified. amoxicillin had a relatively low average ± sd maximum plasma concentration (cmax ) of 1.72 ± 0.47 µg/ml; at an average ± sd time to reach cmax (tmax ) of 2.25 ± 1.26 hr, and an elimination half-life of 4.38 ± 2.40 hr. the pharmacokinetic profile indicated relatively poor subcutaneous absorption. a metabolite was also identified, ... | 2020 | 31183878 |
| protamine composition of koala and wombat spermatozoa provides new insights into dna stability following cryopreservation. | to investigate differences in the post-thaw dna stability of koala and wombat spermatozoa, protamine amino acid sequences were compared and it was found that there were three more arginine residues for the wombat. koala and wombat spermatozoa, cryopreserved using identical protocols, were examined for changes in sperm dna fragmentation (sdf) dynamics over 24h of post-thaw incubation. following validation of a wombat sperm chromatin dispersion test, wombat dna showed a rate of sdf that was 6-fold ... | 2019 | 31167697 |
| prevalence and clinical significance of koala retrovirus in two south australian koala (phascolarctos cinereus) populations. | koala retrovirus (korv-a) is 100 % prevalent in northern australian (queensland and new south wales) koala populations, where korv-b has been associated with chlamydia pecorum disease and the development of lymphosarcoma. in southern populations (victoria and south australia), korv-a is less prevalent and korv-b has not been detected in victoria, while the current prevalence in south australian populations is unknown but is thought to be low. this study aimed to determine (i) the prevalence of ... | 2019 | 31162024 |
| needing a drink: rainfall and temperature drive the use of free water by a threatened arboreal folivore. | arboreal folivores are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of extreme climate change-driven heatwaves and droughts as they rely on leaf moisture to maintain hydration. during these increasingly frequent and intense weather events, leaf water content may not be enough to meet their moisture requirements, potentially leading to large-scale mortality due to dehydration. water supplementation could be critical for the conservation of these animals. we tested artificial water stations for a threat ... | 2019 | 31141564 |
| the extended explicitly-correlated second-order approximate coupled-cluster singles and doubles ansatz suitable for response theory. | we report the extended explicitly correlated approximate coupled-cluster singles and doubles cc2(f12*)-xsp method suitable for response properties. equations are derived using an automated approach and have subsequently been hand-coded into the computer program koala, in which for all two-electron integrals, density fitting is employed. numerical results are presented for the lowest two vertical singlet excitation energies of a set of selected molecules. the results show that the cc2(f12*)-xsp m ... | 2019 | 31091924 |
| two mammalian species in which the intercostal nerves innervate the serratus anterior or scalenus muscles together with the cervical nerves: an important clue to clarify the homology of cervico-thoracic trunk muscles in mammals. | the levator scapulae, rhomboideus, and serratus anterior muscles (as a group referred to the dorsal shoulder girdle muscles) and the scalenus muscles in mammals are usually innervated by cervical nerves. however, in koalas, the serratus anterior is additionally innervated by the lateral cutaneous branch of the first intercostal nerve. in cats, as in some other mammalian species, a part of the scalenus muscle (scalenus longus muscle) is innervated by the lateral cutaneous branches of the intercos ... | 2019 | 31020625 |
| correlating infant faecal microbiota composition and human milk oligosaccharide consumption by microbiota of one-month old breastfed infants. | understanding biological functions of different free human milk oligosaccharides (hmos) in shaping gastrointestinal tract microbiota during infancy is of great interest. we examined a link between hmos in maternal milk and infant faecal microbiota composition and investigated the role of microbiota in degrading hmos within the gi tract of healthy, breastfed, one-month old infants. | 2019 | 31017343 |
| chlamydia pecorum prevalence in south australian koala (phascolarctos cinereus) populations: identification and modelling of a population free from infection. | chlamydia pecorum is an established and prevalent infection that produces severe clinical disease in many koala populations, contributing to dramatic population declines. in wild south australian koala populations, c. pecorum occurrence and distribution is unknown. here, c. pecorum-specific real-time quantitative pcr (qpcr) was applied to ocular and urogenital swabs from targeted surveys of wild koalas from the mainland mount lofty ranges (mlr) (n = 75) and kangaroo island (ki) (n = 170) populat ... | 2019 | 31000763 |
| physiological stress levels in wild koala sub-populations facing anthropogenic induced environmental trauma and disease. | australian small mammals such as koalas must cope with immense pressure from anthropogenic induced stressors or trauma such as bushfires, vehicle collision impacts and habitat disturbance and land clearance. in addition, they must cope with diseases such as chlamydia. to date, there is no published literature on physiological stress levels in wild koala populations compared with identified environmental stressors. this study investigated physiological stress levels within sub-populations of wild ... | 2019 | 30988329 |
| the koala (phascolarctos cinereus) faecal microbiome differs with diet in a wild population. | the diet of the koala (phascolarctos cinereus) is comprised almost exclusively of foliage from the genus eucalyptus (family myrtaceae). eucalyptus produces a wide variety of potentially toxic plant secondary metabolites which have evolved as chemical defences against herbivory. the koala is classified as an obligate dietary specialist, and although dietary specialisation is rare in mammalian herbivores, it has been found elsewhere to promote a highly-conserved but low-diversity gut microbiome. t ... | 2019 | 30972242 |
| bugs are blech, butterflies are beautiful, but both are bad to bite: admired animals are disgusting to eat but are themselves neither disgusting nor contaminating. | it is often assumed that things that are disgusting to eat are, themselves, disgusting, and that things that are disgusting to eat are also contaminating. we present data that counters both of these assumptions. in adult american and indian samples, study 1 provides evidence that, in contrast to many other insects, participants have positive attitudes toward butterflies. participants are relatively unbothered by touching them or eating food that they have contacted but are very disgusted by the ... | 2020 | 30896204 |
| genetic differences in chlamydia pecorum between neighbouring sub-populations of koalas (phascolarctos cinereus). | chlamydiosis, caused by chlamydia pecorum, is regarded as an important threat to koala populations. across the koala's geographical range, disease severity associated with c. pecorum infection varies, with pathogen diversity and strain pathogenicity being likely important factors. to examine c. pecorum diversity on a sub-population level a multi-locus sequence typing (mlst) scheme, containing the housekeeping genes; gata, oppa_3, hflx, gida, enoa, hemn and fumc, was used to type strains from two ... | 2019 | 30853132 |
| identification of a novel picorna-like virus, burpengary virus, that is negatively associated with chlamydial disease in the koala. | koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) are native australian marsupials whose populations are in decline from a range of threats. infectious diseases caused by the bacterium chlamydia pecorum and other pathogens are of particular concern. we analysed 26 poly-a selected rna-sequencing libraries from a data set designed to study the immune response of koalas to ocular chlamydial infection. using virus discovery techniques, we identified the coding-complete genome sequence of a novel picorna-like virus, d ... | 2019 | 30832350 |
| automated detection of koalas using low-level aerial surveillance and machine learning. | effective wildlife management relies on the accurate and precise detection of individual animals. these can be challenging data to collect for many cryptic species, particularly those that live in complex structural environments. this study introduces a new automated method for detection using published object detection algorithms to detect their heat signatures in rpas-derived thermal imaging. as an initial case study we used this new approach to detect koalas (phascolarctus cinereus), and vali ... | 2019 | 30824795 |
| physiological stress in rescued wild koalas are influenced by habitat demographics, environmental stressors, and clinical intervention. | koalas are rescued from the wild often with incidence of burns from bushfire, injury from animal attacks, vehicle collision, and diseases. exposure to environmental stressors (trauma and disease) could generate physiological stress and potentially impact the outcomes of clinical management intervention and rehabilitation of rescued wild koalas. it is important to quantify the stress physiology of wild koalas upon registering into clinical care. this study demonstrates the first report of physiol ... | 2019 | 30761085 |
| occurrence and distribution of unsubstituted b-ring flavanones in eucalyptus foliage. | a group of plant specialised metabolites (psms) collectively known as unsubstituted b-ring flavanones (ubfs) have previously been found in the foliage of some species from the genus eucalyptus l'hér. (myrtaceae), specifically from the subgenus eucalyptus (monocalypts). captive feeding studies using artificial diets suggest that these compounds may potentially influence the feeding preferences of marsupial folivores, such as koalas. understanding natural variation in the composition and concentra ... | 2019 | 30682682 |
| developing noninvasive methodologies to assess koala population health through detecting chlamydia from scats. | wildlife diseases are a recognized driver of global biodiversity loss, have substantial economic impacts, and are increasingly becoming a threat to human health. disease surveillance is critical but remains difficult in the wild due to the substantial costs and potential biases associated with most disease detection methods. noninvasive scat surveys have been proposed as a health monitoring methodology to overcome some of these limitations. here, we use the known threat of chlamydia disease to t ... | 2019 | 30681773 |
| molecular dynamics of koala retrovirus infection in captive koalas in japan. | koala retrovirus (korv) is a gammaretrovirus that is becoming endogenous in koalas. here, we explored the dynamics of korv infection in captive koalas in japan. we isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (pbmcs) from 11 koalas, from which we extracted the korv genome. we found the prevalence of korv provirus in the koalas to be 100%, and the copy number of korv proviral dna in genomic dna isolated from pbmcs was variable. the korv envelope genes from 11 koalas were sequenced and all were fou ... | 2019 | 30656465 |
| prevalence of cryptococcal antigenemia and nasal colonization in a free-ranging koala population. | cryptococcosis, caused by environmental fungi in the cryptococcus neoformans and cryptococcus gattii species complexes, affects a variety of hosts, including koalas (phascolarctos cinereus). cryptococcal antigenemia and nasal colonization are well characterized in captive koalas, but free-ranging populations have not been studied systematically. free-ranging koalas (181) from the liverpool plains region of new south wales, australia, were tested for cryptococcal antigenemia (lateral flow immunoa ... | 2019 | 30649397 |
| detection and differentiation of two koala gammaherpesviruses by use of high-resolution melt (hrm) analysis reveals differences in viral prevalence and clinical associations in a large study of free-ranging koalas. | the iconic koala (phascolarctos cinereus) is host to two divergent gammaherpesviruses, phascolarctid gammaherpesviruses 1 and 2 (phahv-1 and -2), but the clinical significance of the individual viruses is unknown and current diagnostic methods are unsuitable for differentiating between the viruses in large-scale studies. to address this, we modified a pan-herpesvirus nested pcr to incorporate high-resolution melt analysis. we applied this assay in a molecular epidemiological study of 810 koalas ... | 2019 | 30626662 |
| therapeutic effect of a chlamydia pecorum recombinant major outer membrane protein vaccine on ocular disease in koalas (phascolarctos cinereus). | chlamydia pecorum is responsible for causing ocular infection and disease which can lead to blindness in koalas (phascolarctos cinereus). antibiotics are the current treatment for chlamydial infection and disease in koalas, however, they can be detrimental for the koala's gastrointestinal tract microbiota and in severe cases, can lead to dysbiosis and death. in this study, we evaluated the therapeutic effects provided by a recombinant chlamydial major outer membrane protein (momp) vaccine on ocu ... | 2019 | 30615687 |
| effects of community-based pulmonary rehabilitation in 33 municipalities in denmark - results from the koala project. | the positive impact of pulmonary rehabilitation (pr) in patients with copd is well documented. however, little is known regarding the effect of this treatment in community-based settings. since 2007, all danish municipalities have been offering pr to patients with moderate to severe copd, whereas patients with very severe disease or those suffering from many comorbidities were referred to outpatient hospital-based pr. | 2020 | 30613139 |
| impact of early events and lifestyle on the gut microbiota and metabolic phenotypes in young school-age children. | the gut microbiota evolves from birth and is in early life influenced by events such as birth mode, type of infant feeding, and maternal and infant antibiotics use. however, we still have a gap in our understanding of gut microbiota development in older children, and to what extent early events and pre-school lifestyle modulate the composition of the gut microbiota, and how this impinges on whole body metabolic regulation in school-age children. | 2019 | 30609941 |
| optimising the short and long-term clinical outcomes for koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) during treatment for chlamydial infection and disease. | koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) have suffered severe declines in the northern extent of their range due to a variety of threats, including habitat destruction, trauma from cars and dogs, climate change and importantly, disease. the most significant pathogen in koalas is chlamydia pecorum, which causes inflammation and fibrosis at mucosal sites, resulting in blindness, infertility and death in severe cases. chlamydia treatment can be problematic in koalas as the response to treatment is often poo ... | 2018 | 30589897 |