| identification of lonepinella sp. in koala bite wound infections, queensland, australia. | we report 3 cases of koala bite wound infection with lonepinella koalarum-like bacteria requiring antimicrobial and surgical management. the pathogens could not be identified by standard tests. phylogenetic analysis of 16s rrna and housekeeping genes identified the genus. clinicians should isolate bacteria and determine antimicrobial susceptibilities when managing these infections. | 2019 | 30561297 |
| intakes of vitamin b-12 from dairy food, meat, and fish and shellfish are independently and positively associated with vitamin b-12 biomarker status in pregnant dutch women. | the effect of vitamin b-12 from different animal foods on vitamin b-12 biomarker status has not previously been evaluated in pregnant women. | 2019 | 30544236 |
| demographic, environmental and genetic determinants of mating success in captive koalas (phascolarctos cinereus). | many factors have been shown to affect mating behavior. for instance, genes of the major histocompatibility complex (mhc) are known to influence mate choice in a wide variety of vertebrate species. the genetic management of captive populations can be confounded if intrinsic mate choice reduces or eliminates reproductive success between carefully chosen breeding pairs. for example, the san diego zoo koala colony only has a 45% copulation rate for matched individuals. herein, we investigated deter ... | 2018 | 30488502 |
| chlamydia pecorum gastrointestinal tract infection associations with urogenital tract infections in the koala (phascolarctos cinereus). | chlamydia infects multiple sites within hosts, including the gastrointestinal tract (git). in certain hosts, gastrointestinal infection is linked to treatment avoidance and self-infection at disease susceptible sites. git c. pecorum has been detected in livestock and koalas, however git prevalence rates within the koala are yet to be established. | 2018 | 30383822 |
| chlamydia pecorum infection in the male reproductive system of koalas ( phascolarctos cinereus). | chlamydiosis is the most documented and serious disease of koalas, characterized by ocular, urinary, and reproductive lesions. since little attention has been paid to the pathological effects of this infection in the male reproductive system, we aimed to determine the incidence and severity of reproductive pathology associated with chlamydial infection in male koalas submitted to koala hospitals in southeast queensland. the entire reproductive tract from 62 sexually mature male koalas not suitab ... | 2019 | 30381016 |
| passive acoustics and sound recognition provide new insights on status and resilience of an iconic endangered marsupial (koala phascolarctos cinereus) to timber harvesting. | retention forestry aims to mitigate impacts of native forestry on biodiversity, but data are limited on its effectiveness for threatened species. we used acoustics to investigate the resilience of a folivorous marsupial, the koala phascolarctos cinereus, to timber harvesting where a key mitigation practice is landscape exclusion of harvesting. we deployed acoustic recorders at 171 sites to record male bellows (~14,640 hours) for use in occupancy modelling and for comparisons of bellow rate (bell ... | 2018 | 30379836 |
| the genetic transformation of chlamydia pneumoniae. | we demonstrate the genetic transformation of chlamydia pneumoniae using a plasmid shuttle vector system which generates stable transformants. the equine c. pneumoniae n16 isolate harbors the 7.5-kb plasmid pcpne1. we constructed the plasmid vector prsgfpcat-cpn containing a pcpne1 backbone, plus the red-shifted green fluorescent protein (rsgfp), as well as the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (cat) gene used for the selection of plasmid shuttle vector-bearing c. pneumoniae transformants. using ... | 2018 | 30305318 |
| gut microbiota and body weight in school-aged children: the koala birth cohort study. | this study aimed to examine the intestinal microbiota composition of school-aged children in association with (over)weight. | 2018 | 30296366 |
| streck cell preservative stabilizes koala ( phascolarctos cinereus) whole blood for complete blood counts. | wildlife health assessments at remote sites may lead to delayed testing of whole blood for complete blood counts (cbc) resulting in artifacts affecting clinical interpretation. streck cell preservative (scp) is a proprietary liquid stabilization reagent designed to preserve human leukocytes and may be applicable to wildlife health assessments when immediate processing of blood is not possible. the purpose of this study was to determine if scp adequately preserved edta-anticoagulated whole blood ... | 2018 | 30212333 |
| genomic comparisons reveal biogeographic and anthropogenic impacts in the koala (phascolarctos cinereus): a dietary-specialist species distributed across heterogeneous environments. | the australian koala is an iconic marsupial with highly specific dietary requirements distributed across heterogeneous environments, over a large geographic range. the distribution and genetic structure of koala populations has been heavily influenced by human actions, specifically habitat modification, hunting and translocation of koalas. there is currently limited information on population diversity and gene flow at a species-wide scale, or with consideration to the potential impacts of local ... | 2019 | 30209291 |
| erratum for mirhendi et al., the first case of onychomycosis in a koala (phascolarctos cinereus) due to atypical isolates of microsporum gypseum, a diagnostic challenge. | [this corrects the article doi: 10.18869/acadpub.cmm.2.2.2.]. | 2018 | 30186993 |
| disentangling the mechanisms of mate choice in a captive koala population. | successful captive breeding programs are crucial to the long-term survival of many threatened species. however, pair incompatibility (breeding failure) limits sustainability of many captive populations. understanding whether the drivers of this incompatibility are behavioral, genetic, or a combination of both, is crucial to improving breeding programs. we used 28 years of pairing data from the san diego zoo koala colony, plus genetic analyses using both major histocompatibility complex (mhc)-lin ... | 2018 | 30155356 |
| recording body temperature in koalas (phascolarctos cinereus): a comparison of techniques. | compare the use of four techniques to measure body temperature in koalas: intraperitoneal (thermal data logger and temperature sensitive radio transmitter), rectal (certified thermometer), tympanic (infrared thermometer), and hind foot (infrared camera). | 2018 | 30129031 |
| in this issue - august 2018: qualitative interviews in veterinary research · history of ct and osteomyelitis · minimally invasive repair of humeral fractures in dogs · body temperature recording in koalas · bvdv antibodies not found in south australian sheep. | | 2018 | 30129026 |
| induction of neutralizing antibody response against koala retrovirus (korv) and reduction in viral load in koalas following vaccination with recombinant korv envelope protein. | koala retrovirus (korv) infects the majority of australia's koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) and has been linked to several life-threatening diseases such as lymphoma and leukemia, as well as chlamydia and thus poses a threat to the continued survival of this species. while quarantine and antiretroviral drug treatment are possible control measures, they are impractical, leaving vaccination as the only realistic option. in this study, we examined the effect of a recombinant envelope protein-based ... | 2018 | 30083396 |
| degradation and remobilization of endogenous retroviruses by recombination during the earliest stages of a germ-line invasion. | endogenous retroviruses (ervs) are proviral sequences that result from colonization of the host germ line by exogenous retroviruses. the majority of ervs represent defective retroviral copies. however, for most ervs, endogenization occurred millions of years ago, obscuring the stages by which ervs become defective and the changes in both virus and host important to the process. the koala retrovirus, korv, only recently began invading the germ line of the koala (phascolarctos cinereus), permittin ... | 2018 | 30082403 |
| koala genome insights. | | 2018 | 30042480 |
| passive acoustic surveys for predicting species' distributions: optimising detection probability. | surveying terrestrial species across diverse habitats is important for predicting species' distributions and implementing conservation actions. for vocalising species, passive acoustic monitoring (pam) is increasing in popularity; however, survey design rarely considers the factors influencing the timing and occurrence of vocalisations and in turn, how they may influence detectability of the species. here, we use the koala (phascolarctos cinereus) as a case study to show how pam can be used to f ... | 2018 | 30020938 |
| koala genome reveals secrets to surviving a deadly diet. | | 2018 | 29991779 |
| adaptation and conservation insights from the koala genome. | the koala, the only extant species of the marsupial family phascolarctidae, is classified as 'vulnerable' due to habitat loss and widespread disease. we sequenced the koala genome, producing a complete and contiguous marsupial reference genome, including centromeres. we reveal that the koala's ability to detoxify eucalypt foliage may be due to expansions within a cytochrome p450 gene family, and its ability to smell, taste and moderate ingestion of plant secondary metabolites may be due to expan ... | 2018 | 29967444 |
| vaccination of koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) against chlamydia pecorum using synthetic peptides derived from the major outer membrane protein. | chlamydia pecorum is a mucosal infection, which causes debilitating disease of the urinary tract, reproductive tract and ocular sites of koalas (phascolarctos cinereus). while antibiotics are available for treatment, they are detrimental to the koalas' gastrointestinal tract microflora leaving the implementation of a vaccine as an ideal option for the long-term management of koala populations. we have previously reported on the successes of an anti-chlamydial recombinant major outer membrane pro ... | 2018 | 29953523 |
| trace element contaminant uptake in phytocap vegetation and implications for koala habitat, lismore, australia. | phytocapping is increasingly regarded as an economical and environmentally sustainable post-closure landfill management strategy. during 2013, a phytocap comprised of koala habitat trees was established on a historic landfill site in lismore as part of an australian trial program (a-acap). this case study was conducted to determine trace element contamination of the lismore phytocap soil and foliage, and identify risks to grazing koalas. foliage of eucalyptus tereticornis, a key koala food tree, ... | 2018 | 29948710 |
| prevalence of chlamydia pecorum in juvenile koalas ( phascolarctos cinereus) and evidence for protection from infection via maternal immunization. | chlamydia pecorum in koalas ( phascolarctos cinereus) is considered a sexually transmitted infection. analysis of samples from koala joeys (<1 yr) suggested that mother-to-young direct transmission was also occurring. further, evidence suggested that joeys from vaccinated mothers were less likely to contract infections than joeys with unvaccinated mothers. | 2018 | 29733767 |
| necropsy findings of koalas from the mount lofty ranges population in south australia. | this study reports necropsy findings of koalas from the mount lofty ranges region in order to identify health threats to this mainland south australian population. | 2018 | 29691854 |
| development and application of two multiplex real-time pcr assays for detection and speciation of bacterial pathogens in the koala. | infectious diseases have contributed to the decline in the health of koala ( phascolarctos cinereus) populations in the wild in some regions of australia. herein we report the development and validation of 2 multiplex real-time pcr (rtpcr) panels for the simultaneous detection of mycoplasma spp., ureaplasma spp., bordetella bronchiseptica, and chlamydia, including speciation and quantification of chlamydia, in ocular, reproductive, and nasal swab samples in addition to semen and male urogenital ... | 2018 | 29629645 |
| fresh is best: accurate snp genotyping from koala scats. | maintaining genetic diversity is a crucial component in conserving threatened species. for the iconic australian koala, there is little genetic information on wild populations that is not either skewed by biased sampling methods (e.g., sampling effort skewed toward urban areas) or of limited usefulness due to low numbers of microsatellites used. the ability to genotype dna extracted from koala scats using next-generation sequencing technology will not only help resolve location sample bias but a ... | 2018 | 29607013 |
| variation in the microbiome of the urogenital tract of chlamydia-free female koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) with and without 'wet bottom'. | koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) are iconic australian marsupials currently threatened by several processes, including infectious diseases and ecological disruption. infection with chlamydia pecorum, is considered a key driver of population decline. the clinical sign of 'wet bottom', a staining of the rump associated with urinary incontinence, is often caused by chlamydial urinary tract infections. however, wet bottom has been recorded in koalas free of c. pecorum, suggesting other causative agen ... | 2018 | 29579080 |
| cryptococcosis in the koala (phascolarctos cinereus): pathogenesis and treatment in the context of two atypical cases. | disseminated cryptococcosis caused by cryptococcus gattii (molecular type vgi) was diagnosed in an adult free-ranging female koala (phascolarctos cinereus). subclinical cryptococcosis was later diagnosed in this koala's joey. in the adult koala, a pathological fracture of the tibia was associated with the bone lysis of marked focal cryptococcal osteomyelitis. limb-sparing orthopedic intervention, in the setting of disseminated cryptococcosis, was judged to have a poor prognosis, and the adult ko ... | 2018 | 29529308 |
| chlamydia pecorum in joint tissue and synovial fluid of a koala ( phascolarctos cinereus) with arthritis. | a small number of koalas ( phascolarctos cinereus) presented to wildlife hospitals in queensland, australia, with signs of arthritis in one or more joints. molecular analysis identified chlamydia pecorum in the tarsal tissue and synovial fluid of an affected joint of a koala, suggesting that in addition to livestock, c. pecorum has the potential to cause arthritis in the koala. | 2018 | 29498899 |
| identification of stable reference genes for quantitative pcr in koalas. | to better understand host and immune response to diseases, gene expression studies require identification of reference genes with stable expression for accurate normalisation. this study describes the identification and testing of reference genes with stable expression profiles in koala lymph node tissues across two genetically distinct koala populations. from the 25 most stable genes identified in transcriptome analysis, 11 genes were selected for verification using reverse transcription quanti ... | 2018 | 29463845 |
| the remarkable vocal anatomy of the koala (phascolarctos cinereus): insights into low-frequency sound production in a marsupial species. | koalas are characterised by a highly unusual vocal anatomy, with a descended larynx and velar vocal folds, allowing them to produce calls at disproportionately low frequencies. here we use advanced imaging techniques, histological data, classical macroscopic dissection and behavioural observations to provide the first detailed description and interpretation of male and female koala vocal anatomy. we show that both males and females have an elongated pharynx and soft palate, resulting in a perman ... | 2018 | 29460389 |
| preliminary study of faecal cortisol and corticosterone as an index of acute cortisol secretion in the koala (phascolarctos cinereus). | stress can play a role in disease incidence in all species via immunosuppression and has been implicated as a contributing factor in significant infectious diseases of koalas. faecal cortisol measurement may represent a non-invasive methodology for quantifying stress in koalas. | 2013 | 31027400 |
| in this issue - december 2013: management of tick paralysis in dogs and cats · check anaesthetic equipment before each use · small pig producers a biosecurity risk · bovine viral diarrhoea virus in beef cattle mobs · chicken vaccines for pigeon paramyxovirus · hamartoma as a differential for coelomic distension · faecal cortisol not useful for measuring stress in koalas. | | 2013 | 31027399 |
| molecular diagnosis of koala retrovirus (korv) in south australian koalas (phascolarctos cinereus). | koala retrovirus, a recent discovery in australian koalas, is endogenised in 100% of northern koalas but has lower prevalence in southern populations, with lower proviral and viral loads, and an undetermined level of endogenisation. korv has been associated with lymphoid neoplasia, e.g., lymphoma. recent studies have revealed high complexity in southern koala retroviral infections, with a need to clarify what constitutes positive and negative cases. this study aimed to define korv infection stat ... | 2021 | 34065572 |
| toll-like receptor and cytokine responses to infection with endogenous and exogenous koala retrovirus, and vaccination as a control strategy. | koala populations are currently declining and under threat from koala retrovirus (korv) infection both in the wild and in captivity. korv is assumed to cause immunosuppression and neoplastic diseases, favoring chlamydiosis in koalas. currently, 10 korv subtypes have been identified, including an endogenous subtype (korv-a) and nine exogenous subtypes (korv-b to korv-j). the host's immune response acts as a safeguard against pathogens. therefore, a proper understanding of the immune response mech ... | 2021 | 33946297 |
| toll-like receptor expression profiles in koala (phascolarctos cinereus) peripheral blood mononuclear cells infected with multiple korv subtypes. | toll-like receptors (tlrs), evolutionarily conserved pattern recognition receptors, play an important role in innate immunity by recognizing microbial pathogen-associated molecular patterns. koala retrovirus (korv), a major koala pathogen, exists in both endogenous (korv-a) and exogenous forms (korv-b to j). however, the expression profile of tlrs in koalas infected with korv-a and other subtypes is yet to characterize. here, we investigated tlr expression profiles in koalas with a range of subt ... | 2021 | 33915914 |
| koala retrovirus (korv) subtypes and their impact on captive koala (phascolarctos cinereus) health. | koala retrovirus (korv), a major pathogen of koalas, exists in both endogenous (korv-a) and exogenous forms (korv-b to j). however, the impact of infection with multiple subtypes is not well understood. accordingly, in this study, we surveyed a representative sample from a japanese zoo population to determine the infection status for three korv subtypes (korv-a, b, and c) and to investigate the proviral and rna load profiles in animals with single- and multiple-subtype infections, using peripher ... | 2021 | 33900468 |
| retroviral integrations contribute to elevated host cancer rates during germline invasion. | repeated retroviral infections of vertebrate germlines have made endogenous retroviruses ubiquitous features of mammalian genomes. however, millions of years of evolution obscure many of the immediate repercussions of retroviral endogenisation on host health. here we examine retroviral endogenisation during its earliest stages in the koala (phascolarctos cinereus), a species undergoing germline invasion by koala retrovirus (korv) and affected by high cancer prevalence. we characterise korv integ ... | 2021 | 33637755 |
| a natural laboratory to elucidate the evolution of endogenous-exogenous retroviral interactions. | the advent of whole genome sequencing has revealed much about the genomes of animals including the relatively large percentage of the genome consisting of endogenous retroviruses (erv; international human genome sequencing consortium, 2001). an erv arises when a retrovirus integrates into a host germ cell genome through normal infection processes. germline infections can be transmitted to offspring through mendelian inheritance and at times become fixed elements of the host genome (weiss, 2006). ... | 2021 | 33599349 |
| koala retrovirus in northern australia shows a mixture of stable endogenization and exogenous lineage diversification within fragmented koala populations. | the koala population in northern australia has become increasingly fragmented due to natural and man-made barriers and interventions. this situation has created a unique opportunity to study both endogenous and exogenous koala retrovirus (korv). to determine the impact that population isolation has had on korv diversity in queensland, 272 koalas from six fragmented koala populations were profiled for their korv provirus across two natural biogeographical barriers (the st lawrence gap and the bri ... | 2021 | 33472936 |
| cd4, cd8b, and cytokines expression profiles in peripheral blood mononuclear cells infected with different subtypes of korv from koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) in a japanese zoo. | koala retrovirus (korv) poses a major threat to koala health and conservation, and currently has 10 identified subtypes: an endogenous subtype (korv-a) and nine exogenous subtypes (korv-b to korv-j). however, subtype-related variations in koala immune response to korv are uncharacterized. in this study, we investigated korv-related immunophenotypic changes in a captive koala population (hirakawa zoo, japan) with a range of subtype infection profiles (korv-a only vs. korv-a with korv-b and/or -c) ... | 2020 | 33316950 |
| endogenous retroviruses drive resistance and promotion of exogenous retroviral homologs. | endogenous retroviruses (ervs) serve as markers of ancient viral infections and provide invaluable insight into host and viral evolution. ervs have been exapted to assist in performing basic biological functions, including placentation, immune modulation, and oncogenesis. a subset of ervs share high nucleotide similarity to circulating horizontally transmitted exogenous retrovirus (xrv) progenitors. in these cases, erv-xrv interactions have been documented and include (a) recombination to result ... | 2020 | 33290087 |
| phylogenetic and geographical analysis of a retrovirus during the early stages of endogenous adaptation and exogenous spread in a new host. | most retroviral endogenization and host adaptation happened in the distant past, with the opportunity to study these processes as they occurred lost to time. an exception exists with the discovery that koala retrovirus (korv) has recently begun its endogenization into the koala (phascolarctos cinereus) genome. what makes this opportunity remarkable is the fact that northern australian koalas appear to be undergoing endogenization with one korv subtype (korv-a), while all subtypes (korv-a-i) coex ... | 2020 | 33219558 |
| the environmental and ecological determinants of elevated ross river virus exposure in koalas residing in urban coastal landscapes. | koala populations in many areas of australia have declined sharply in response to habitat loss, disease and the effects of climate change. koalas may face further morbidity from endemic mosquito-borne viruses, but the impact of such viruses is currently unknown. few seroprevalence studies in the wild exist and little is known of the determinants of exposure. here, we exploited a large, spatially and temporally explicit koala survey to define the intensity of ross river virus (rrv) exposure in ko ... | 2021 | 33627779 |