title: Reproductive implications of exposure to Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus ocydromus).
abstract: Australian marsupials are thought to be particularly vulnerable to pathologic impacts of Toxoplasma gondii, and they may be similarly affected by Neospora caninum. Pathology due to either organism could be expressed as reduced female reproductive performance. We studied adult female western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus ocydromus) from suburban Perth, Western Australia, between May 2006 and October 2008. We used indirect fluorescent antibody tests to look for evidence of exposure to T. gondii and N. caninum in M. fuliginosus ocydromus and tested the association between their reproductive performance and a positive test result. Although 20% of plasma samples collected from 102 female kangaroos were positive for T. gondii and 18% were positive for N. caninum, we found no association between positive results and reproductive performance. Further study will be required to clarify if, and under what circumstances, T. gondii and N. caninum are pathogenic to macropod marsupials.
authors: 1  School of Animal Biology, M092, The University of Western Australia, Stirling Highway, Crawley 6009, Western Australia, Australia.
authors: Chris
authors: C
authors: Mayberry
authors: Shane K
authors: SK
authors: Maloney
authors: Jeff
authors: J
authors: Mitchell
authors: Peter R
authors: PR
authors: Mawson
authors: Roberta
authors: R
authors: Bencini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007614:Macropodidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D018688:Neospora / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan