Making the most of mortalities: Novel host-parasite records in a sandy inland mouse (Pseudomys hermannsburgensis)
From 2020 to 2022, systematic investigation of wildlife mortalities on Dirk Hartog Island, Western Australia was initiated to inform wildlife disease risk analyses for translocation purposes. As part of this monitoring, in November 2020, a sandy inland mouse (Pseudomys hermannsburgensis) was found d...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-04-01
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| Series: | International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213224425000021 |
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| author | Fiona Knox Nahiid Stephens Sarah Keatley Amanda Ash James Douch Saul Cowen Kelly Rayner Rebecca Vaughan-Higgins |
| author_facet | Fiona Knox Nahiid Stephens Sarah Keatley Amanda Ash James Douch Saul Cowen Kelly Rayner Rebecca Vaughan-Higgins |
| author_sort | Fiona Knox |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | From 2020 to 2022, systematic investigation of wildlife mortalities on Dirk Hartog Island, Western Australia was initiated to inform wildlife disease risk analyses for translocation purposes. As part of this monitoring, in November 2020, a sandy inland mouse (Pseudomys hermannsburgensis) was found deceased with multiple comorbidities. Gross necropsy, histopathology and ancillary molecular testing identified several novel host-parasite associations. Sarcoptes scabiei was identified via molecular methods in association with consistent cutaneous pathology, representing the first known detection of this parasite in an Australian native rodent. A putative novel virus belonging to the subfamily Gammaherpesvirinae was also identified, representing the first known detection of a herpesvirus (Orthoherpesviridae) from this species, although it was not clearly associated with other disease processes. A heavy burden of the cestode Hymenolepis microstoma was also present in the gastrointestinal tract, representing a new host record for this species, whilst a pancreatic adenocarcinoma was also found. Beyond the novelty of these host records, these findings contribute to important health baselines of rodent populations on Dirk Hartog Island and highlight the value of investigating mortalities and implementing health surveillance as part of ecological monitoring and wildlife translocation projects. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a7b44070acbe4aca95c199463fbc2eb5 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2213-2244 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife |
| spelling | doaj-art-a7b44070acbe4aca95c199463fbc2eb52025-08-20T03:08:01ZengElsevierInternational Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife2213-22442025-04-012610103710.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101037Making the most of mortalities: Novel host-parasite records in a sandy inland mouse (Pseudomys hermannsburgensis)Fiona Knox0Nahiid Stephens1Sarah Keatley2Amanda Ash3James Douch4Saul Cowen5Kelly Rayner6Rebecca Vaughan-Higgins7Murdoch University School of Veterinary Medicine, 90 South St, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia; Corresponding author.Murdoch University School of Veterinary Medicine, 90 South St, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, AustraliaMurdoch University School of Veterinary Medicine, 90 South St, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, AustraliaMurdoch University School of Veterinary Medicine, 90 South St, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, AustraliaMelbourne University Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Asia-Pacific Centre for Animal Health, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, AustraliaWestern Australia Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions, Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Wildlife Place, Woodvale, Western Australia, 6026, Australia; School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, 6009, AustraliaWestern Australia Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions, Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Wildlife Place, Woodvale, Western Australia, 6026, AustraliaMurdoch University School of Veterinary Medicine, 90 South St, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, AustraliaFrom 2020 to 2022, systematic investigation of wildlife mortalities on Dirk Hartog Island, Western Australia was initiated to inform wildlife disease risk analyses for translocation purposes. As part of this monitoring, in November 2020, a sandy inland mouse (Pseudomys hermannsburgensis) was found deceased with multiple comorbidities. Gross necropsy, histopathology and ancillary molecular testing identified several novel host-parasite associations. Sarcoptes scabiei was identified via molecular methods in association with consistent cutaneous pathology, representing the first known detection of this parasite in an Australian native rodent. A putative novel virus belonging to the subfamily Gammaherpesvirinae was also identified, representing the first known detection of a herpesvirus (Orthoherpesviridae) from this species, although it was not clearly associated with other disease processes. A heavy burden of the cestode Hymenolepis microstoma was also present in the gastrointestinal tract, representing a new host record for this species, whilst a pancreatic adenocarcinoma was also found. Beyond the novelty of these host records, these findings contribute to important health baselines of rodent populations on Dirk Hartog Island and highlight the value of investigating mortalities and implementing health surveillance as part of ecological monitoring and wildlife translocation projects.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213224425000021Rodentolepisreintroductiontapewormwildlife cancerOne Healthsarcoptic mange |
| spellingShingle | Fiona Knox Nahiid Stephens Sarah Keatley Amanda Ash James Douch Saul Cowen Kelly Rayner Rebecca Vaughan-Higgins Making the most of mortalities: Novel host-parasite records in a sandy inland mouse (Pseudomys hermannsburgensis) International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife Rodentolepis reintroduction tapeworm wildlife cancer One Health sarcoptic mange |
| title | Making the most of mortalities: Novel host-parasite records in a sandy inland mouse (Pseudomys hermannsburgensis) |
| title_full | Making the most of mortalities: Novel host-parasite records in a sandy inland mouse (Pseudomys hermannsburgensis) |
| title_fullStr | Making the most of mortalities: Novel host-parasite records in a sandy inland mouse (Pseudomys hermannsburgensis) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Making the most of mortalities: Novel host-parasite records in a sandy inland mouse (Pseudomys hermannsburgensis) |
| title_short | Making the most of mortalities: Novel host-parasite records in a sandy inland mouse (Pseudomys hermannsburgensis) |
| title_sort | making the most of mortalities novel host parasite records in a sandy inland mouse pseudomys hermannsburgensis |
| topic | Rodentolepis reintroduction tapeworm wildlife cancer One Health sarcoptic mange |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213224425000021 |
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