Abstract. From July 1989 to October 1998, 9/37 (24%) adult captive tiger quolls (Dasyurus maculatus) were diagnosed with atypical mycobacterial infection involving the subcutis and skin. Females were more often affected than males (seven females, two males). Grossly, lesions presented as focal thickenings, plaques, and abscesses within the subcutis, often with fistulous tracts. The subcutis and skin overlying cervical and thoracic regions were the primary sites of infection. Cytology of subcutaneous impression smears from all nine affected tiger quolls revealed pyogranulomatous inflammation admixed with several acid-fast bacilli. Histologically, all tiger quolls had nodular to diffuse pyogranulomatous panniculitis and cellulitis. Small numbers of acid-fast bacilli were noted histologically in 7/9 (78%) animals. Skin cultures from seven tiger quolls were positive for one or more different Runyon group IV mycobacteria. The disease described in these tiger quolls is similar to subcutaneous atypical mycobacteriosis of humans and domestic animals.Key words: Atypical mycobacteriosis; cellulitis; group IV mycobacteria; panniculitis; skin; tiger quolls.The tiger quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) is a member of the family Dasyuridae, carnivorous marsupials indigenous to the Australian continent and adjacent islands. Because of the diminishing numbers of this species in the wild, a breeding program was established in 1984 at the US National Zoological Park's Conservation and Research Center (CRC). In 1989, an adult female tiger quoll presented with a subcutaneous abscess from which a Runyon group IV mycobacterium was isolated. During the next 9 years, eight additional tiger quolls were diagnosed with similar atypical mycobacterial infections that involved the subcutis. Here, we describe the clinical and pathologic findings in tiger quolls afflicted with atypical mycobacterial infection of the subcutis and skin.
Materials and Methods
Study populationIn 1984, a breeding program was established at the CRC (Front Royal, VA) based on two pairs of wild-caught tiger quolls. The majority of tiger quolls were maintained at the CRC, and a small number were kept on exhibit at the National Zoological Park (Washington, DC). Their diet consisted of Toronto Feline Diet (Milliken Wholesale Meat, Toronto, ON, Canada) supplemented with apple biscuits, live and dead mice (2-3 times/week), thawed fish (once weekly), and a multivitamin supplement. Tiger quolls were housed singly except when males were introduced into the females' enclosures for breeding encounters. Animals were housed in large indoor enclosures, either 3.1 ϫ 6.2 ϫ 3.4 m or 6.2 ϫ 6.2 ϫ 3.4 m, with access to outdoor cages of equal size. The flooring substrate was composed of pine bark, solite, and peat moss.From 1989 to 1998, the collection had a total of 37 adult tiger quolls. During this 9-year period, skin biopsies and necropsies were preformed on nine tiger quolls with similar cutaneous disease. Table 1 contains information on gender, age, and lesion distribution for these nine an...