title: Mortalities associated with herpesvirus infection in captive macropods.
abstract: Fatal cases of herpesvirus infection in a quokka (Setonix brachyurus), eight grey dorcopsis wallabies (Dorcopsis muelleri luctuosa) in two separate outbreaks, as well as presumptive fatal herpesvirus infection in a western grey kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus) are described. All were captive animals and deaths were preceded by a period of stress. Lesions occurred most often in alimentary tract epithelium, respiratory tract, skin, genital epithelium, conjunctivae, liver and adrenal cortex. Herpesviruses were recovered from the quokka and a grey dorcopsis wallaby from each outbreaks. The implications, particularly concerning certain apparently susceptible species, for those responsible for the health of macropod collections are discussed.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000836:Animals, Zoo; D001315:Australia; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007614:Macropodidae; D008297:Male; D008394:Marsupialia; D009928:Organ Specificity; D013045:Species Specificity