[leish-l] LEISHMANIASIS (CUTANEOUS), KANGAROOS - AUSTRALIA: SUSPECTED, OIE

Fred R. Opperdoes opperdoes at trop.ucl.ac.be
Mon Jul 7 02:05:40 BRT 2003


At 22:19 -0400 7/6/03, ProMED Digest wrote:
>Date: Sun, 6 Jul 2003 17:16:21 -0400 (EDT)
>From: ProMED-mail <promed at promed.isid.harvard.edu>
>Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Leishmaniasis, kangaroos - Australia: suspected, OIE
>
>LEISHMANIASIS (CUTANEOUS), KANGAROOS - AUSTRALIA: SUSPECTED, OIE
>****************************************************************
>A ProMED-mail post
><http://www.promedmail.org>
>ProMED-mail is a program of the
>International Society for Infectious Diseases
><http://www.isid.org>
>
>Date: Sun 6 Jul 2003
>From: ProMED-mail <promed at promedmail.org>
>Source: Office International des Epizooties (OIE), Disease
>Information 16(27), 4 Jul 2003 [edited]
><http://www.oie.int/eng/info/hebdo/AIS_12.HTM>
>
>
>Leishmaniasis (cutaneous) in Australia: suspected cases in red kangaroos
>- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
>Emergency report
>
>Information received on 1 Jul 2003 from Dr Gardner Murray, Chief
>Veterinary Officer, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
>Australia (AFFA), Canberra:
>
>Report date: 18 Jun 2003.
>The purpose of this report is to advise of the presumptive diagnosis
>of cutaneous leishmaniasis in red kangaroos (_Macropus rufus_) in the
>Northern Territory and of the appropriate actions taken to
>investigate this matter to reach a definitive diagnosis. If
>confirmed, this would represent the first diagnosis of cutaneous
>leishmaniasis in a native-born Australian animal.
>
>An investigation into the cause of granulomatous dermatitis in a
>group of 4 red kangaroos has been undertaken at the Territory
>Wildlife Park in the Northern Territory. We have preliminary data
>from this investigation to indicate the diagnosis of a species of
>Leishmania in these animals. Red kangaroos are not native to the area
>and are zoo exhibits. There have been some cases of human
>leishmaniasis in recent immigrants to Australia, in soldiers
>returning from combat zones where Leishmania species are endemic, and
>from domestic animals imported to Australia.
>
>Histological examinations conducted at the Australian Registry of
>Wildlife Health, Taronga Zoo, Sydney, and preliminary culture results
>conducted at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research,
>Melbourne, are consistent with an organism of the genus Leishmania.
>Samples of tissue from the affected animals were also sent to the
>Institute of Parasitology, University of Zurich, Switzerland, to
>confirm this diagnosis with PCR [polymerase chain reaction]  tests.
>However at this point, laboratory tests have been unable to identify
>the species involved.
>
>It has been determined that additional cultures are required in order
>to conduct isoenzyme studies to identify the species of Leishmania
>involved. Identifying the species will allow us to better understand
>the ecology of the parasite and the parasite's impact on human health
>and animal health in the region.
>
>Further details of this investigation will be provided in due course,
>as results become available.
>
>- --
>ProMED-mail
><promed at promedmail.org>
>
>[Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), also known as Aleppo evil, Baghdad
>boil, Delhi boil and oriental sore, is widely distributed in the
>Mediterranean region and extends through the Middle East into
>Afghanistan, central Asia and North West India, with isolated foci in
>Africa. Iraq is one of the countries heaviest infected. The vectors
>of CL in the Old World are phlebotomine sandflies belonging to the
>genus _Phlebotomus_. The phlebotomus vector is present in Australia,
>thus transmission is in theory possible and the climatic conditions
>are also compatible.
>
>CL is known to be caused, in the Old World, by _L. tropica_ , _L. major_
>and _L. aethiopica_, while  _L. infantum_ may cause both visceral and
>cutaneous leishmaniasis. The source reservoir are vertebrates, mainly
>rodents and dogs. In the New World (Americas), CL is caused by  _L.
>braziliensis complex_ , _L. mexicana complex_ and _L. peruviana_ . The
>diseases are mainly zoonoses with a few exceptions. In case the diagnosis
>is confirmed, molecular typing should provide a clue to the origin of the
>introduction.
>
>Details on the diagnosis of leishmaniasis [leishmaniosis in the OIE
>lexicon] are available online in chapter X.1 of the OIE's Manual of
>standards diagnostic tests and vaccines (2000),
><http://www.oie.int/eng/normes/mmanual/a_00111.htm>. - Mods. AS & EP]
>
>[see also:
>Leishmaniasis - Iraq: comments (02) 20030612.1445 02
>Leishmaniasis - Iraq: comments      20030602.1348
>Leishmaniasis - Iraq: RFI      20030531.1331
>2000
>- ----
>Leishmaniasis - Afghanistan (06) 20020629.4633
>Leishmaniasis - Afghanistan (04) 20020523.4304
>Leishmaniasis - Afghanistan (03) 20020515.4212
>Leishmaniasis - Afghanistan (03) 20020512.4178
>Leishmaniasis - Afghanistan (02) 20020511.4161
>Leishmaniasis - Afghanistan (Kabul): alert      20020508.4134
>Leishmania - Pakistan ex Afghanistan      20020213.3556]
>.............arn/pg/lm
>
>------------------------------




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