Woolford Lucy, Fletcher Mary T, Boardman Wayne S J
School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, The University of Adelaide , Roseworthy, 5371 South Australia, Australia.
J Agric Food Chem. 2014 Jul 30;62(30):7413-8. doi: 10.1021/jf405811n. Epub 2014 Apr 7.
Southern hairy-nosed wombats (Lasiorhinus latifrons) inhabiting degraded habitat in South Australia were recently identified with extensive hair loss and dermatitis and were in thin to emaciated body condition. Pathological and clinicopathological investigations on affected juvenile wombats identified a toxic hepatopathy suggestive of plants containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids, accompanied by photosensitive dermatitis. Hepatic disease was suspected in additional wombats on the basis of serum biochemical analysis. Preliminary toxicological analysis performed on scats and gastrointestinal contents from wombats found in this degraded habitat identified a number of toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids consistent with ingestion of Heliotropeum europaeum. Although unpalatable, ingestion may occur by young animals due to decreased availability of preferred forages in degraded habitats and the emergence of weeds around the time of weaning of naive animals. Habitat degradation leading to malnutrition and ingestion of toxic weed species is a significant welfare issue in this species.
最近发现，生活在南澳大利亚退化栖息地的南方毛鼻袋熊（Lasiorhinus latifrons）出现大面积脱毛和皮炎，身体状况消瘦至极度瘦弱。对受影响的幼年袋熊进行的病理和临床病理调查发现，有毒性肝病，提示含有吡咯里西啶生物碱的植物，同时伴有光敏性皮炎。根据血清生化分析，怀疑其他袋熊也患有肝病。对在这个退化栖息地发现的袋熊粪便和胃肠道内容物进行的初步毒理学分析，确定了一些与摄入欧洲天芥菜一致的有毒吡咯里西啶生物碱。尽管这种植物味道不佳，但由于退化栖息地中优质草料的可获得性降低，以及幼崽断奶前后杂草的出现，幼龄动物仍可能会摄入。栖息地退化导致营养不良和摄入有毒杂草物种，是该物种面临的一个重大福利问题。
