Journal article
Severe cases of Buruli ulcer (infection with Mycobacterium ulcerans) in common ringtail possums in Victoria adversely affect animal welfare
EC Hobbs, P Loukopoulos, TP Stinear, JL Porter, JYH Lee, P Whiteley, LF Skerratt, KB Gibney, A Meredith
Australian Veterinary Journal | WILEY | Published : 2024
DOI: 10.1111/avj.13360
Abstract
Buruli ulcer is a chronic ulcerative disease of the skin and subcutaneous tissues caused by infection with Mycobacterium ulcerans. Although Australian possums are known to be susceptible to Buruli ulcer, many aspects of the disease in possums, including welfare impacts, remain largely unreported. Severe clinical Buruli ulcer was identified in four common ringtail possums (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) from Melbourne, Victoria. All four possums were euthanased due to the presence of deep ulcerative lesions on paws, with extensive tissue necrosis that exposed bones and tendons in three cases. Histologically, there was severe ulcerative necrotising pyogranulomatous dermatitis, panniculitis and myos..
View full abstractRelated Projects (1)
Grants
Awarded by University of Melbourne
Funding Acknowledgements
Funding for this study was provided by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grant GNT1196396. We would like to thank Dr Tristan Rich, Samantha Lovett and the staff of Lort Smith Animal Hospital; the veterinary staff of the former U-Vet Werribee Animal Hospital (The University of Melbourne); and Jessica Haining and other Anatomic Pathology lab staff at the Melbourne Veterinary School who were involved in the collection, transport and storage of possum cadavers for our study. We also thank Faye Docherty and Mirjana Bogeski for histology and histochemistry. We would like to acknowledge the tireless advocacy of Natalie J. Russell on behalf of the Essendon possums, and are grateful to Dr Sarah Frith, Katherine Whittaker, Dr Liz Dobson, Dr Richard Ploeg and Dr Smitha Georgy for their assistance with various aspects of these cases.