Simpson V R, Davison N J, Dagleish M P
Wildlife Veterinary Investigation Centre, Chacewater, Truro, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.
Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme, SRUC Veterinary Services, Drummondhill, Inverness, Scotland, United Kingdom.
J Comp Pathol. 2019 Feb;167:18-25. doi: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2018.11.006. Epub 2018 Dec 27.
European moles (Talpa europaea) are a common species in the UK, but there are few published data on the causes of mortality in these animals. An opportunistic post-mortem study was carried out on 44 moles found dead or dying in Cornwall, UK. Assessment of muscle condition and fat reserves, where possible, indicated that most (27 of 37, 73%) were in good nutritive condition. The majority had died of trauma (n = 40, 91%), the principal cause of which was predation (n = 36, 81.8%) by foxes and domestic cats and dogs. The carcases were in a variable state of preservation, but 28 cases were suitable for histopathological examination. This revealed lesions in the lungs of 92.8 % (26 of 28) of the animals. The commonest lesions comprised localized infiltration of the parenchyma by macrophages and eosinophils and in most cases the lesions were unlikely to have been of clinical significance; in two cases they were associated with infection by a parasitic nematode. One mole showed severe pneumonitis and hepatitis caused by infection with Toxoplasma gondii. Adiaspiromycosis was diagnosed in two moles, one by direct microscopical examination of the lung and one by histopathology; the lesions were not considered to be of clinical significance. Severe pleurisy and pericarditis caused by infection with Streptobacillus moniliformis was seen in a mole that had suffered bite wounds to a foot previously. Cholangitis due to infection by a protozoal parasite, provisionally identified as Cyclospora talpae, was a common histopathological finding (11 of 28, 39.3%); infection by the parasite did not appear to affect body condition adversely. Miscellaneous conditions identified were ulcerative dermatitis associated with gram-positive cocci (n = 1), extra medullary haemopoiesis in spleens (six of 12, 50%) and mineralized foci in pulmonary blood vessels (three of 28, 10.7%). No significant pathology was seen in the kidneys. This study suggests that the health status of moles in Cornwall is generally good and predation is a common cause of mortality. Pulmonary disease, associated in some cases with nematode infections, is also prevalent, but probably of little clinical significance. There is a high prevalence of cholangitis due to infection with a protozoan parasite believed to be C. talpae. Other diseases identified include adiaspiromycosis, streptobacillosis and toxoplasmosis.
欧洲鼹鼠（Talpa europaea）在英国是常见物种，但关于这些动物死亡原因的公开数据很少。对在英国康沃尔郡发现的44只死亡或濒死的鼹鼠进行了一项机会性尸检研究。在可能的情况下对肌肉状况和脂肪储备进行评估，结果表明大多数（37只中的27只，占73%）营养状况良好。大多数鼹鼠死于外伤（n = 40，占91%），其中主要原因是被狐狸、家猫和家犬捕食（n = 36，占81.8%）。尸体保存状态各异，但28例适合进行组织病理学检查。这显示92.8%（28只中的26只）的动物肺部有病变。最常见的病变包括巨噬细胞和嗜酸性粒细胞对实质的局部浸润，在大多数情况下这些病变不太可能具有临床意义；在两例中，病变与寄生线虫感染有关。一只鼹鼠表现出由刚地弓形虫感染引起的严重肺炎和肝炎。在两只鼹鼠中诊断出阿迪嗜皮菌病，一只通过对肺部的直接显微镜检查诊断，另一只通过组织病理学诊断；这些病变被认为不具有临床意义。在一只先前足部有咬伤伤口的鼹鼠中发现了由念珠状链杆菌感染引起的严重胸膜炎和心包炎。由一种暂定为talpae环孢子虫的原生动物寄生虫感染引起的胆管炎是常见的组织病理学发现（28只中的11只，占39.3%）；该寄生虫感染似乎未对身体状况产生不利影响。鉴定出的其他病症包括与革兰氏阳性球菌相关的溃疡性皮炎（n = 1）、脾脏髓外造血（12只中的6只，占50%）和肺血管矿化灶（28只中的3只，占10.7%）。肾脏未发现明显病变。这项研究表明，康沃尔郡鼹鼠的健康状况总体良好，捕食是常见的死亡原因。肺部疾病在某些情况下与线虫感染有关，也很普遍，但可能临床意义不大。由一种被认为是talpae环孢子虫的原生动物寄生虫感染引起的胆管炎患病率很高。鉴定出的其他疾病包括阿迪嗜皮菌病、链杆菌病和弓形虫病。
