Gethöffer Friederike, Gregor Katharina M, Zdora Isabel, Wohlsein Peter, Schöttes Franziska, Siebert Ursula
Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173 Hannover, Germany.
Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany.
Animals (Basel). 2022 Oct 14;12(20):2777. doi: 10.3390/ani12202777.
Native to South America, the coypu () is an invasive alien species (IAS) of Union concern. It was introduced to Germany a hundred years ago and is considered established in all German federal states. Between January and February 2021, ground temperatures below -10° Celsius were recorded in Lower Saxony, Germany, for approximately two consecutive weeks. Five male and five female coypus, harvested between 23 February and 31 March 2021, received a examination. Nutritional status was poor in six cases, moderate in three and good in one case. Pregnancy was observed in two females. In all the animals, lesions were predominantly found on the distal limbs ( = 7) and/or tail ( = 10), involving the skin and soft tissue with occasional exposure or loss of bones. The histological findings consisted of chronic, ulcerative to necrotizing dermatitis and occasional ulcerative-suppurative dermatitis, necrotizing myositis, thrombosis, granulation tissue, fibrosis and intralesional dystrophic mineralization. Intralesional bacteria were present in six and fungal spores in one animal. Determination of the exact cause was not possible; however, considering the local weather conditions and the distribution of lesions, frostbite injuries have to be considered as the most likely cause. The intralesional bacteria and fungal spores most likely represent secondary contaminants. Interestingly, lesions of this kind have not been reported in coypus in Germany so far. Therefore, frostbite should be considered as a potential cause of disease in coypus, warranting further investigation.
麝鼠原产于南美洲，是欧盟关注的外来入侵物种。它于一百年前被引入德国，目前在德国所有联邦州都有分布。2021年1月至2月期间，德国下萨克森州连续两周记录到地面温度低于零下10摄氏度。对2021年2月23日至3月31日期间捕获的5只雄性和5只雌性麝鼠进行了检查。营养状况差的有6例，中等的有3例，良好的有1例。观察到2只雌性麝鼠怀孕。在所有动物中，病变主要发生在四肢远端（n = 7）和/或尾巴（n = 10），累及皮肤和软组织，偶尔出现骨骼外露或缺失。组织学检查结果包括慢性、溃疡性至坏死性皮炎，偶尔还有溃疡性化脓性皮炎、坏死性肌炎、血栓形成、肉芽组织、纤维化和病灶内营养不良性矿化。6只动物病灶内有细菌，1只动物有真菌孢子。无法确定确切病因；然而，考虑到当地的天气条件和病变分布，冻伤被认为是最可能的病因。病灶内的细菌和真菌孢子很可能是继发性污染物。有趣的是，迄今为止德国尚未报道过麝鼠出现此类病变。因此，冻伤应被视为麝鼠疾病的一个潜在病因，值得进一步研究。
