Parasitic nematodes obtained from marsupials reared at a semi-free ranging facility in a Japanese zoological park

Between 2006 and 2010, a total of 12 semi-free ranging marsupials comprising 10 Petrogale xanthopus and two Macropus giganteus died at the Itozu no mori Zoological Park (Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan). From our postmortem examinations, 541 nematodes in total were obtained from the stomachs of the deceased marsupials. The nematodes belonged to the subfamily Cloacininae (Strongylida: Chabertiidae). The nematodes obtained from P. xanthopus were identified as Rugopharynx australis, Cloacina pearsoni, Cloacina hydriformis and Macroponema beveridgei, while the nematode from M. giganteus was identified as a Cloacina sp. member. This is the first record of C. pearsoni and M. beveridgei obtained from P. xanthopus. Measurements and photographs of the nematodes are provided herein to assist future continuous surveillance of them

Association between the levels of stress markers and the onset of kangaroo disease (lumpy jaw disease) in captive kangaroos

Kangaroo disease (lumpy jaw disease; LJD) is a disease of the oral cavity in Macropodidae that may be caused by stress-related factors; however, detailed information about its pathogenesis is lacking. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated markers of stress in kangaroos with and without LJD to determine the factors that cause an LJD outbreak. We evaluated the oxidative stress value, antioxidant activity, and plasma cortisol concentration in blood samples. Additionally, we measured the cortisol concentration in saliva samples. The oxidative stress value and serum cortisol concentrations were statistically significantly different between the two groups, but the antioxidant activity and saliva cortisol concentrations did not differ significantly. Relatively large variations were observed for each value within individuals

Stress assessment using hair cortisol of kangaroos affected by the lumpy jaw disease

The aim of this study was to objectively assess stress of kangaroos affected by lumpy jaw disease (LJD) using plasma and hair cortisol concentrations. The plasma and hair samples were collected from kangaroos with LJD and healthy controls. Collected hair samples were extracted with methanol after washing with isopropanol, following which they were processed with the cortisol enzyme immunoassay kit. The plasma cortisol concentration of LJD animals tended to be higher than that of the control. Ventral hair cortisol, but not dorsal hair, of LJD animals was significantly higher than that of the control. In conclusion, stress in kangaroos infected with LJD could be assessed by measuring ventral hair cortisol

Plasma endotoxin activity in Eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) with lumpy jaw disease

Progressive pyogranulomatous osteomyelitis involving the mandible or maxilla of captive macropods, referred to as “Lumpy jaw disease (LJD)”, is one of the most significant causes of illness and death in captive macropods. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between the severity of LJD and plasma endotoxin activity in kangaroos. Plasma samples obtained from moderate (n=24) and severe LJD (n=12), and healthy kangaroos (n=46), were diluted 1:20 in endotoxin-free water and heated to 80°C for 10 min. Plasma endotoxin activity was measured using the Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL)-kinetic turbidimetric (KT) assay. Plasma endotoxin activity was higher in kangaroos with severe LJD (0.199 ± 0.157 EU/ml) than in those with moderate LJD (0.051 ± 0.012 EU/ml, P<0.001) and healthy controls (0.057 ± 0.028 EU/ml, P<0.001). Our results suggest that the severity of LJD in captive macropods may be related to the plasma endotoxin activity

Plasma endotoxin activity in kangaroos with oral necrobacillosis (lumpy jaw disease) using an automated handheld testing system

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the reliability and effectiveness of directly determining endotoxin activity in plasma samples from kangaroos with lumpy jaw disease (LJD, n=15) and healthy controls (n=12). Prior to the present study, the ability of the commercially available automated handheld portable test system (PTS^) to detect endotoxin activity in kangaroo plasma was compared with that of the traditional LAL-kinetic turbidimetric (KT) assay. Plasma samples, which were obtained from endotoxin-challenged cattle, were diluted 1:20 in endotoxin-free water and heated to 80°C for 10 min. The performance of the PTS^ was not significantly different from that of the traditional LAL-based assay. The data obtained using PTS^ correlated with those using KT (r^2=0.963, P0.22 EU/ml for the identification of LJD. Our results indicate that the assessment of plasma endotoxin activity is a promising diagnostic tool for determining the outcome of LJD in captive macropods