Fatal toxoplasmosis in Little Penguins (Eudyptula minor) from Penguin Island, Western Australia.

ABSTRACT: Routine post mortems of deceased penguins from Penguin Island, Western Australia, found that a temporal cluster of cases presented with characteristic gross and microscopic changes, namely birds in good body condition with hepatomegaly and splenomegaly, multifocal hepatic and splenic necrosis and numerous, 1-2 μm diameter protozoan parasites within the necrotic foci. Electron microscopy identified the protozoa as belonging to the phylum Apicomplexa. Molecular investigations by PCR gave inconsistent results. PCR performed by an external laboratory identified a novel Haemoproteus spp. organism in samples from 4 of 10 cases from this group, while PCR at Murdoch University identified Toxoplasma gondii in 12 of 13 cases (including 9 of the 10 assayed at the external laboratory). I

SUBMITTER: Campbell K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8850582 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature