Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
Toxoplasma gondii is highly virulent in New World monkeys, but despite numerous outbreaks observed in captive populations there are few reports of molecular characterization of strains. In this article, we describe two outbreaks of toxoplasmosis that occurred in 2001 and 2006 in an outdoor captive breeding colony of squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) kept by the Institut Pasteur in French Guiana. A microsatellite DNA analysis of the biological samples collected in the 2001 and 2006 outbreaks showed that two different Toxoplasma strains were involved. The 2001 strain exhibited a type II genotype whereas the 2006 strain showed a combination of type I, type III and atypical alleles. Infection could be related to oocysts contaminating water or food, or to ingestion of rats by monkeys. In 2006, a second episode was observed 3 weeks after the first, and was believed to be related to direct contamination by tachyzoites of bronchopulmonary origin from dying monkeys of the first event. During both outbreaks, a total of 50 monkeys died and none recovered spontaneously, confirming the virulence of both type II and non-type II Toxoplasma strains in New World monkeys.
ISSN: 0304-4017

hal-00408048
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00408048
DOI : 10.1016/j.vetpar.2009.04.004
PUBMED : 19423226

Éditeur(s) : Wildlife Disease Association
Résumé : The Ile du Grand Connetable nature reserve is a rocky island off the Northern Atlantic coast of South America that hosts a unique population of Magnificent Frigatebirds (Fregata, magnificens, Pelecaniformes). A high chick mortality, associated with nodular proliferative lesions, involving featherless areas, such as legs, neck, eyelids, and beak, was recorded during a consecutive 2 yr and affected almost half of the generation. Investigations were therefore, conducted to determine the cause of these epidemics. Although histopathologic investigations suggested that malnutrition, because of fewer resources in the Frigates' fishing area, could be the cause of the epidemic, it novel alphaherpesvirus, tentatively called Fregata magnificens herpesvirus, was detected in cutaneous crusts on the diseased birds. Although in this study, we do not prove the causal link of this new virus to the symptoms observed, it can nevertheless be suggested that in debilitated hosts, it productive herpesvirus infection might accelerate, and/or be accelerated by, population declines. These results emphasize the need to take into consideration the possible role of herpesviruses in weakened populations of wild birds in conservation management plans.
Journal of Wildlife Diseases (0090-3558) (Wildlife Disease Association), 2009-07 , Vol. 45 , N. 3 , P. 802-807

Droits : Wildlife Disease Association 2009
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/2009/publication-6811.pdf
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/6811/