Portas Timothy J
Australia Zoo, 1638 Steve Irwin Way, Beerwah Queensland 4519, Australia.
J Zoo Wildl Med. 2010 Mar;41(1):1-6. doi: 10.1638/2009-0148.1.
Toxoplasmosis is a well-described disease entity that causes significant morbidity and mortality in both captive and free-ranging macropodids. The clinical presentation of toxoplasmosis in macropodids is variable, which reflects the multiple body systems affected by this disease. Animals may die without exhibiting premonitory signs or after the acute development of nonspecific signs of illness. In more chronic cases, clinical signs include neurologic deficits, blindness, respiratory signs, and, in some cases, diarrhea. Histologic lesions can be extensive and affect the pulmonary parenchyma, cardiac and skeletal muscle, lymph nodes, spleen, gastrointestinal tract, adrenal glands, pancreas, central nervous system, liver, and kidney. An antemortem diagnosis can be challenging, although a range of serologic tests are available. Treatment is frequently unrewarding, although recent evidence suggests that the anti-protozoal drug atovaquone may be effective in treating acute cases and eliminating infection. Attempts to vaccinate macropodids against toxoplasmosis have been unsuccessful, and preventive measures are limited to preventing exposure to sporulated oocysts in the environment.
弓形虫病是一种已被充分描述的疾病实体，在圈养和野生的有袋目动物中都会导致显著的发病率和死亡率。有袋目动物弓形虫病的临床表现各不相同，这反映了该疾病会影响多个身体系统。动物可能在没有出现先兆症状的情况下死亡，或者在急性出现非特异性疾病症状后死亡。在更慢性的病例中，临床症状包括神经功能缺损、失明、呼吸道症状，在某些情况下还包括腹泻。组织学病变可能广泛，会影响肺实质、心脏和骨骼肌、淋巴结、脾脏、胃肠道、肾上腺、胰腺、中枢神经系统、肝脏和肾脏。尽管有一系列血清学检测方法，但生前诊断可能具有挑战性。治疗通常效果不佳，不过最近有证据表明，抗寄生虫药物阿托伐醌可能对治疗急性病例和消除感染有效。给有袋目动物接种弓形虫病疫苗的尝试一直未成功，预防措施仅限于防止接触环境中的孢子化卵囊。
