title: Disseminated toxoplasmosis in a captive ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta).
abstract: A 3-yr-old secundiparous female ring-tailed lemur presented to the Auburn University Small Animal Clinic with signs of dyspnea, lethargy, and anorexia. The animal died before she could be examined, and a full necropsy was immediately performed. Provisional necropsy findings included moderate pneumonia and hepatopathy. Acute interstitial pneumonia and focal hepatocellular necrosis were confirmed histologically. Lung impression smears, histopathology, electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and tissue culture isolation resulted in a diagnosis of acute disseminated Toxoplasma gondii infection, which was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction. The isolate of T. gondii was avirulent for mice and was named AU Tgl and genetically is type II. The source of the infection remains unclear, but speculation suggests contaminated fruit or blackbirds (Passeriformes: Icteridae) acting as transport hosts for oocysts from nondomestic felids and feral cats on the property.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, 122 Greene Hall, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, USA. spencja@vetmed.auburn.edu
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Spencer
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Joiner
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Hilton
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dubey
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toivio-Kinnucan
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Minc
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Blagburn
mesh_terms: D000407:Alabama; D000818:Animals; D000836:Animals, Zoo; D001921:Brain / Q000469:parasitology; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D007422:Intestines / Q000469:parasitology; D007900:Lemur / Q000469:parasitology*; D008099:Liver / Q000469:parasitology; D008168:Lung / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051379:Mice; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000662:veterinary; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D018419:Primate Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan