Pulmonary adiaspiromycosis in critically endangered northern hairy‐nosed wombats (Lasiorhinus krefftii)

Background The northern hairy‐nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus krefftii) is critically endangered, with only 200 individuals remaining in the wild. Individuals are rarely available for detailed pathological assessment and identification of disease threats to individuals is critically important to species c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Australian veterinary journal Vol. 95; no. 11; pp. 431 - 436
Main Authors:	Schaffer‐White, AB, Harper, D, Mayhew, M, McKinnon, A, Knott, L, Allavena, RE
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Melbourne Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd 01-11-2017 Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
Subjects:	Adiaspiromycosis Animals Animals, Zoo Autopsy Chrysosporium - isolation & purification Edema Emmonsia spp Endangered & extinct species Endangered species Fibrosis Intestines - parasitology Lasiorhinus Lasiorhinus krefftii Lung diseases Lung Diseases, Fungal - diagnosis Lung Diseases, Fungal - pathology Lung Diseases, Fungal - veterinary Male Marsupialia Mycoses - diagnosis Mycoses - veterinary northern hairy‐nosed wombats Pleurisy pleuritis pneumonia pulmonary adiaspiromycosis wildlife pathology pleuritis pulmonary adiaspiromycosis wildlife pathology pneumonia northern hairy-nosed wombats Emmonsia spp
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Summary:	Background The northern hairy‐nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus krefftii) is critically endangered, with only 200 individuals remaining in the wild. Individuals are rarely available for detailed pathological assessment and identification of disease threats to individuals is critically important to species conservation. Case report Two male northern hairy‐nosed wombats, part of the Richard Underwood Nature Refuge population, were presented for necropsy, 5 months apart. They were found to have succumbed to adiaspiromycosis caused by the fungus Emmonsia parva. Pathological presentations were of severe pulmonary oedema and fibrosis, and pleuritis, respectively. Characteristic fungal adiaspores were noted on histopathological examination. The wombats had concurrent variably severe ectoparasite and endoparasite burdens. Conclusion These are the first reported cases of adiaspiromycosis in northern hairy‐nosed wombats and the organism was associated with significant pathological changes. The rarity and the logistical challenges of presenting northern hairy‐nosed wombats for pathological assessment are a challenge to identifying disease threats in this critically endangered species.
ISSN:	0005-0423 1751-0813
DOI:	10.1111/avj.12642