Fatal toxoplasmosis in Little Penguins (Eudyptula minor) from Penguin Island, Western Australia

Campbell, Kym Rouse; Paparini, Andrea; Gomez, Adriana Botero; Cannell, Belinda; Stephens, N.

doi:10.1016/j.ijppaw.2022.02.006

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…These clinical signs are compatible with non-suppurative chorioretinitis in macrophages and tachyzoites of T. gondii in the subretinal space, in addition to tachyzoite aggregates in the retinal nerve fibers and cysts in the meninges and cerebellum ( Williams et al, 2001 ). Moreover, fatal toxoplasmosis has been described in a vinaceous amazon parrot ( Amazona vinacea ) from Brazil ( Ferreira et al, 2012 ) and in 12 little penguins ( Eudyptula minor ) from Australia ( Campbell et al, 2022 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Occurrence of Apicomplexa protozoa in wild birds in the Northeast region of Brazil

Moura

Nascimento

Oliveira

et al. 2023

Rev. Bras. Parasitol. Vet.

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Protozoa of the Apicomplexa phylum are worldwide distributed with capacity to infect endothermic animals. The study of these protozoa in wild birds in Brazil is scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of apicomplexan protozoa in wild birds in the Northeast of Brazil. From October to December 2019, brain tissue samples were collected from 71 captive birds from the Wild Animal Screening Center of the Pernambuco State (CETRAS-Tangara) and 25 free-living birds from the Caatinga biome in Rio Grande do Norte, totaling 96 animals (41 species). Brain fragments were subjected to molecular diagnosis by nested PCR for the 18s rDNA gene of Apicomplexa parasites, followed by DNA sequencing. This gene was detected in 25% (24/96) of the samples, and it was possible to perform DNA sequencing of 14 samples, confirming three genera: Isospora, Sarcocystis and Toxoplasma from eight bird species (Amazona aestiva, Coereba flaveola, Egretta thula, Paroaria dominicana, Sporophila nigricollis, Cariama cristata, Columbina talpacoti, Crypturellus parvirostris). The occurrence these coccidia in wild birds provides important epidemiological information for the adoption of preventive measures for its conservation. Future studies are needed to better understand the consequence of Apicomplexa infection in birds in Caatinga and Atlantic Forest biomes.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Occurrence of Apicomplexa protozoa in wild birds in the Northeast region of Brazil

Moura

Nascimento

Oliveira

et al. 2023

Rev. Bras. Parasitol. Vet.

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“…Oocysts are environmentally resistant, capable of sporulation (becoming infectious) and temperature-dependent maintenance of infectivity in sea water for at least 6-24 months (Lindsay et al, 2003;Lindsay and Dubey, 2009). Increased exposure of marine mammals is likely facilitated by parasite carriage and maintenance of viability in cold-blooded prey species acting as phoretic hostsincluding filter-feeding bivalve mollusks (e.g., blue (Mytilus edulis) (Bigot-Clivot et al, 2022) and green-lipped (Perna canaliculus) mussels (Coupe et al, 2018)) and fish species (Marino et al, 2019), the latter already a suggested source of infection for coastal and pelagic seabirds (Poulle et al, 2021;Campbell et al, 2022). Independent of prey species, the initial entry of the parasite into the marine food chain is likely enabled by aggregation in gelatinous marine polymers and by adhesion to algal biofilms on kelps grazed by marine invertebrates (Shapiro et al, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in the endangered Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea)

et al. 2022

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Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous parasite increasingly detected in marine mammals and suspected to contribute to limited recovery of endangered populations. This study reports on the exposure of the Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea) to this protozoon using archived adult and pup sera from three island colonies in South Australia. Modified agglutination testing (MAT) detected a seroprevalence of 30.4% (95% CI 13.2-52.9: n = 23) and high antibody titers (512 to > 2048 IU/ml) in adult females (median age 9.5 y, range 5.5-14.5 y) at Dangerous Reef, a felid-free island. Antibodies weren’t detected in any surveyed pup (97.5% CI 0.0-2.0%, n = 184) at two felid-free islands (Dangerous Reef: n = 21; Olive Island: n = 65), nor at Kangaroo Island (n = 98), which has a high-density feral cat population. Kangaroo Island pups of known age were 7-104 d old, while standard length and bodyweight comparison suggested younger and older pup cohorts at Dangerous Reef and Olive Island, respectively. This study provides the first quantification of disease risk in this endangered species from T. gondii exposure. The absence of detectable pup seroconversion supports the lack of detectable congenital transmission, maternal antibody persistence or early post-natal infection in the sampled cohort yet to commence foraging. An extended serosurvey of N. cinerea colonies is recommended to confirm the hypothesis of predominantly forage-associated exposure to T. gondii in this species. Findings have implications for parasitic disease risk in wildlife inhabiting Australia’s islands and for the feral cat control program on Kangaroo Island.

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Marine heatwaves affect breeding, diet and population size but not body condition of a range-edge little penguin colony

Cannell,

Kendall,

Tyne

et al. 2024

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Significant marine heatwaves (MHWs) developed along the Western Australian coast in 1999 and 2011. Despite ecosystem losses and the southwards occurrence of many tropical fish species during and after the extreme MHW in 2011, there have been few studies on the effects of this MHW on seabirds, and no biological impacts related to the 1999 MHW have been reported. Using data from 1986-2019, we investigated the impacts of these events on breeding outcomes, body condition, diet composition, population size and mortality of little penguins on Penguin Island, in the temperate waters off Western Australia. Breeding outcomes were negatively impacted by the MHWs but body condition was not. Diet composition changed after the MHW, with sandy sprat Hyperlophus vittatus, the penguins’ typical major prey component, replaced by scaly mackerel Sardinella lemuru, a tropical fish species. Using an open robust design analysis that accounts for imperfect capture probabilities and staggered annual arrival and departure dates, we found that the population decreased by 80% following the 2011 MHW. Finally, more penguins died from starvation or from novel protozoal parasitic infections in 2011 and 2012 that were potentially introduced with the changed diet. This research highlights that the temporal and spatial influence of MHWs on seabirds depends on several factors. Furthermore, the magnitude and direction of a prey species’ response can be very localised and have significant impacts on avian predators. There are no obvious ways to mediate climate effects, but perhaps measures taken to reduce any synergistic impacts on prey abundance, particularly during MHW events, could be effective.

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Fatal toxoplasmosis in Little Penguins (Eudyptula minor) from Penguin Island, Western Australia

Cited by 3 publications

References 52 publications

Occurrence of Apicomplexa protozoa in wild birds in the Northeast region of Brazil

Occurrence of Apicomplexa protozoa in wild birds in the Northeast region of Brazil

Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in the endangered Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea)

Marine heatwaves affect breeding, diet and population size but not body condition of a range-edge little penguin colony

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