Zhai Junqiong, Wu Yajiang, Chen Jinping, Zou Jiejian, Shan Fen, Li Wanping, Chen Wu, Zhou Niu
Guangzhou Zoo, Guangzhou, 510070, China.
Wildlife Microbiology Laboratory, Guangzhou Wildlife Research Center, Guangzhou, 510070, China.
Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl. 2021 Jan 30;14:107-116. doi: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2021.01.008. eCollection 2021 Apr.
Due to habitat destruction and illegal hunting and trade, the number of pangolins has been sharply reduced. To protect pangolins from extinction, relevant departments are combined and active action have been taken. A total of 21 confiscated Malayan pangolins were rescued in 2019, but died continuously for unknown reasons. This study aimed to investigate the reasons for the death of these pangolin and rescue them. 19 of the 21 confiscated pangolins had ticks on their body integument. A total of 303 ticks were collected and identified as () according to their morphology and the sequences of 16S rRNA and internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2). There were multi-organ damages in the dead pangolins, especially congestion and hemorrhage in lung, heart and kidney and inflammation of which were observed using HE staining. Pathogens' nucleic acid detection showed ticks were only positive for with 56.7% positive rate of collected ticks (127/224), which was further confirmed in tissues from dead pangolins. Our findings confirm that ehrlichiosis caused by from might accelerate the confiscated pangolin's death. More attention should be payed to tick-elimination work and the diagnoses and treatment of tick-borne diseases in the follow-up rescue operation.
由于栖息地破坏以及非法捕猎和贸易，穿山甲的数量急剧减少。为保护穿山甲不致灭绝，相关部门联合起来并采取了积极行动。2019年共救助了21只被没收的马来穿山甲，但它们陆续不明原因死亡。本研究旨在调查这些穿山甲死亡的原因并对它们进行救助。21只被没收的穿山甲中有19只体表有蜱虫。共收集到303只蜱虫，根据其形态以及16S rRNA和内转录间隔区2（ITS2）序列鉴定为（）。死亡穿山甲存在多器官损伤，尤其是肺、心脏和肾脏出现充血和出血，经苏木精-伊红（HE）染色观察到这些器官存在炎症。病原体核酸检测显示蜱虫仅对（）呈阳性，所收集蜱虫的阳性率为56.7%（127/224），在死亡穿山甲的组织中也进一步得到证实。我们的研究结果证实，来自（）的（）引起的埃立克体病可能加速了被没收穿山甲的死亡。在后续救助行动中应更加重视蜱虫清除工作以及蜱传疾病的诊断和治疗。
