Pathologic and immunohistochemical findings in an outbreak of systemic toxoplasmosis in a mob of red kangaroos

Mariano Carossino; Rudy Bauer; Mark A. Mitchell; Charles O. Cummings; Anke C. Stöhr; Nobuko Wakamatsu; Kimberly Harper; Ingeborg M. Langohr; Kendra Schultz; Maria S. Mitchell; Daniel K. Howe; Udeni B.R. Balasuriya

doi:10.1177/10406387211001869

Pathologic and immunohistochemical findings in an outbreak of systemic toxoplasmosis in a mob of red kangaroos

Mariano Carossino, Rudy Bauer, Mark A. Mitchell, Charles O. Cummings, Anke C. Stöhr, Nobuko Wakamatsu, Kimberly Harper, Ingeborg M. Langohr, Kendra Schultz, Maria S. Mitchell, Daniel K. Howe, Udeni B.R. Balasuriya

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic protozoan pathogen that infects many endothermic vertebrates, including humans; the domestic cat and other felids serve as the definitive host. Macropodids are considered highly susceptible to toxoplasmosis. Here, we describe the clinical, pathologic, and immunohistochemical findings of an outbreak of systemic toxoplasmosis in a mob of 11 red kangaroos (Macropus rufus), with high morbidity (73%) and mortality (100%) rates. Affected animals had either severe and rapidly deteriorating clinical conditions or sudden death, which was correlated with widespread necrotizing lesions in multiple organs and intralesional T. gondii organisms identified via MIC3-specific immunohistochemistry and confirmed by REP529-specific rtPCR. Quantification of parasites demonstrated the highest parasite density in pulmonary parenchyma compared with other tissues. Our study highlights the continued importance of this severe condition in Australian marsupials.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	554-565
Number of pages	12
Journal	Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation
Volume	33
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/10406387211001869
State	Published - May 2021

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Author(s).

Funding

We thank the members of the Histology and Immunohistochemistry sections at the Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (LADDL), School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University for their assistance. We also thank Ms. Michelle Yeargan at the University of Kentucky for her help in generating cell pellet controls. The following reagent was obtained through BEI Resources, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH): Monoclonal Anti-Toxoplasma gondii Micronemal Protein 3, Clone T4 2F3 (produced in vitro), NR-50261. This study was partially supported by Louisiana State University, School of Veterinary Medicine start-up fund (PG 002165) to Dr. Udeni B. R. Balasuriya.

Funders	Funder number
BEI Resources
Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory and Department of Pathobiological Sciences
National Institutes of Health (NIH)	NR-50261
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine	PG 002165
Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine

Keywords

Apicomplexa
Toxoplasma gondii
histopathology
immunohistochemistry
red kangaroos
toxoplasmosis

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Veterinary

Access to Document

10.1177/10406387211001869

Cite this

Carossino, M., Bauer, R., Mitchell, M. A., Cummings, C. O., Stöhr, A. C., Wakamatsu, N., Harper, K., Langohr, I. M., Schultz, K., Mitchell, M. S., Howe, D. K., & Balasuriya, U. B. R. (2021). Pathologic and immunohistochemical findings in an outbreak of systemic toxoplasmosis in a mob of red kangaroos. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation, 33(3), 554-565. https://doi.org/10.1177/10406387211001869

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title = "Pathologic and immunohistochemical findings in an outbreak of systemic toxoplasmosis in a mob of red kangaroos",

abstract = "Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic protozoan pathogen that infects many endothermic vertebrates, including humans; the domestic cat and other felids serve as the definitive host. Macropodids are considered highly susceptible to toxoplasmosis. Here, we describe the clinical, pathologic, and immunohistochemical findings of an outbreak of systemic toxoplasmosis in a mob of 11 red kangaroos (Macropus rufus), with high morbidity (73\%) and mortality (100\%) rates. Affected animals had either severe and rapidly deteriorating clinical conditions or sudden death, which was correlated with widespread necrotizing lesions in multiple organs and intralesional T. gondii organisms identified via MIC3-specific immunohistochemistry and confirmed by REP529-specific rtPCR. Quantification of parasites demonstrated the highest parasite density in pulmonary parenchyma compared with other tissues. Our study highlights the continued importance of this severe condition in Australian marsupials.",

keywords = "Apicomplexa, Toxoplasma gondii, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, red kangaroos, toxoplasmosis",

author = "Mariano Carossino and Rudy Bauer and Mitchell, \{Mark A.\} and Cummings, \{Charles O.\} and St{\"o}hr, \{Anke C.\} and Nobuko Wakamatsu and Kimberly Harper and Langohr, \{Ingeborg M.\} and Kendra Schultz and Mitchell, \{Maria S.\} and Howe, \{Daniel K.\} and Balasuriya, \{Udeni B.R.\}",

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doi = "10.1177/10406387211001869",

language = "English",

volume = "33",

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Carossino, M, Bauer, R, Mitchell, MA, Cummings, CO, Stöhr, AC, Wakamatsu, N, Harper, K, Langohr, IM, Schultz, K, Mitchell, MS, Howe, DK & Balasuriya, UBR 2021, 'Pathologic and immunohistochemical findings in an outbreak of systemic toxoplasmosis in a mob of red kangaroos', Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation, vol. 33, no. 3, pp. 554-565. https://doi.org/10.1177/10406387211001869

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AU - Cummings, Charles O.

AU - Stöhr, Anke C.

AU - Wakamatsu, Nobuko

AU - Harper, Kimberly

AU - Langohr, Ingeborg M.

AU - Schultz, Kendra

AU - Mitchell, Maria S.

AU - Howe, Daniel K.

AU - Balasuriya, Udeni B.R.

PY - 2021/5

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N2 - Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic protozoan pathogen that infects many endothermic vertebrates, including humans; the domestic cat and other felids serve as the definitive host. Macropodids are considered highly susceptible to toxoplasmosis. Here, we describe the clinical, pathologic, and immunohistochemical findings of an outbreak of systemic toxoplasmosis in a mob of 11 red kangaroos (Macropus rufus), with high morbidity (73%) and mortality (100%) rates. Affected animals had either severe and rapidly deteriorating clinical conditions or sudden death, which was correlated with widespread necrotizing lesions in multiple organs and intralesional T. gondii organisms identified via MIC3-specific immunohistochemistry and confirmed by REP529-specific rtPCR. Quantification of parasites demonstrated the highest parasite density in pulmonary parenchyma compared with other tissues. Our study highlights the continued importance of this severe condition in Australian marsupials.

AB - Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic protozoan pathogen that infects many endothermic vertebrates, including humans; the domestic cat and other felids serve as the definitive host. Macropodids are considered highly susceptible to toxoplasmosis. Here, we describe the clinical, pathologic, and immunohistochemical findings of an outbreak of systemic toxoplasmosis in a mob of 11 red kangaroos (Macropus rufus), with high morbidity (73%) and mortality (100%) rates. Affected animals had either severe and rapidly deteriorating clinical conditions or sudden death, which was correlated with widespread necrotizing lesions in multiple organs and intralesional T. gondii organisms identified via MIC3-specific immunohistochemistry and confirmed by REP529-specific rtPCR. Quantification of parasites demonstrated the highest parasite density in pulmonary parenchyma compared with other tissues. Our study highlights the continued importance of this severe condition in Australian marsupials.

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Pathologic and immunohistochemical findings in an outbreak of systemic toxoplasmosis in a mob of red kangaroos

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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