Montali R J, Bush M, Cromie R, Holland S M, Maslow J N, Worley M, Witebsky F G, Phillips T M
Department of Pathology, National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20008, USA.
J Infect Dis. 1998 Dec;178(6):1719-25. doi: 10.1086/314517.
The National Zoological Park has maintained a breeding colony of Matschie's tree kangaroos (Dendrolagus matschiei) since 1975 with a documented history and continued prevalence of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infections. No evidence of immunosuppressive retrovirus infections or loss of heterozygosity that may have led to an immune dysfunction in these animals was found. Isolates of MAC organisms from affected tree kangaroos and from their environment had no common restriction fragment DNA types. Cellular immune reactivity in apparently healthy tree kangaroos was 3- to 6-fold lower than in humans and other marsupial and eutherian mammals, as determined by lymphocyte proliferative assays. Thus, while MAC infections are typically opportunistic in humans and other mammals, tree kangaroos commonly develop primary progressive disease with MAC from random sources. Comparative information derived from this study should benefit both the endangered tree kangaroo and humans with immunosuppressive disorders that lead to mycobacterial infections.
自1975年以来，国家动物园一直维持着一个马氏树袋鼠（Dendrolagus matschiei）繁殖群体，该群体有鸟分枝杆菌复合体（MAC）感染的记录历史且持续存在。未发现可能导致这些动物免疫功能障碍的免疫抑制性逆转录病毒感染或杂合性丧失的证据。从受影响的树袋鼠及其环境中分离出的MAC生物体没有共同的限制性片段DNA类型。通过淋巴细胞增殖试验确定，明显健康的树袋鼠的细胞免疫反应性比人类以及其他有袋类和真兽类哺乳动物低3至6倍。因此，虽然MAC感染在人类和其他哺乳动物中通常是机会性的，但树袋鼠通常会因随机来源的MAC而患上原发性进行性疾病。从这项研究中获得的比较信息应有利于濒危的树袋鼠以及患有导致分枝杆菌感染的免疫抑制性疾病的人类。
