Systemic toxoplasmosis in a kangaroo (Macropus sp.)

Abstract

This paper describes systemic toxoplasmosis in a brush kangaroo died after diagnosed with chronic diarrhoea in a local zoo. Macroscopically, widespread subcutaneous petechial haemorrhagies, 100 ml sero-sanguineous fluid in the abdominal cavity, many nodular structures on omentum and fat tissues with dilatation in subserosal vessels of gastric and small intestines were observed. Microscopically, necrotic bronchointerstitial pneumonia in the lungs and multiple areas of necroses with pyogranulomatous inflammation in the myocardium, adrenal glands and tunica muscularis of stomach and small intestines were detected. The pancreas and surrounding abdominal adipose tissues had multifocal coalescing acellular necroses conjoined with pyogranulomatous inflammation. Free and/or intracellularly located Toxoplasma gondii-like granular structures showed co-association with necrotic lesions. These granular structures and necrotic areas exhibited strong immunoreactivity to polyclonal anti-T.gondii antibodies whereas reaction was negative for Neospora caninum and Leishmania sp.. Nested-PCR designed to amplify a 97 bp long specific part in B1 gene of T. gondii gave positive results. In conclusion, the first case of systemic toxoplasmosis in a kangaroo from a local zoo in Turkey was diagnosed by detailed histochemical, immunoperoxidase technique and PCR.