Wildlife Health Australia
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Wildlife Health Australia Silvia Ban, Keren Cox-Witton and Tiggy Grillo Wildlife Health Australia Wildlife Health Australia (WHA)2 is the peak body for wildlife health in Australia. WHA was established as the Australian Wildlife Health Network in 2002 as an Australian Government initiative to coordinate wildlife health surveillance information across Australia to support Australia’s animal health industries, human health, biodiversity, trade and tourism. WHA collates information from multiple sources into a national database — the Wildlife Health Information System (eWHIS)3 — including submissions by WHA subscribers, state and territory WHA coordinators, researchers, and university, zoo and sentinel clinic veterinarians. During the quarter, 144 wildlife disease investigation events were reported in eWHIS (Table 1 and Figure 6) and samples were collected from 1819 wild birds for avian influenza (AI) surveillance. This report details some of the disease and mortality events in free-living wildlife recorded in eWHIS this quarter. WHA thanks all those who submitted information for this report. Table 1 Number of disease investigations reported into eWHIS, April to June 2018a Mammals Birdsc,d Reptiles Batsb Marsupials Feral mammals Monotremes 64 27 2 1 48 2 a Disease investigations may involve a single animal or multiple animals (e.g. mass mortality event). b The majority of bat disease investigations are single bats submitted for Australian bat lyssavirus testing. c Additional sampling for targeted avian influenza surveillance is presented elsewhere in this report. d Includes free-ranging birds (native or feral species) and a small number of events involving birds from zoological collections and captive breeding programs. 2 www.wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au/Home.aspx 3 www.wildlifehealthaustralia. com.au/ProgramsProjects/ eWHISWildlifeHealthInformationSystem.aspx ANIMAL HEALTH SURVEILLANCE QUARTERLY APRIL TO JUNE 2018 VOLUME 23 ISSUE 2 13 35 30 25 20 15 10 Number of investigations 5 0 NT SA NT SA NT SA QLD TAS VIC WA QLD TAS VIC WA QLD TAS VIC WA NSW/ACT NSW/ACT NSW/ACT Birdsb Mammalsc Reptiles Figure 6 Number of disease investigations reported, by taxonomic class and jurisdiction, into eWHIS, April to June 2018a a The chart shows the number of disease investigations or events reported into eWHIS. Each disease investigation may involve one or multiple animals. b Birds includes free-ranging birds (native or feral species) and a small number of events involving birds from zoological collections and captive breeding programs. c Investigations involving mammals include individual bats submitted for Australian bat lyssavirus testing. Wild bird mortality event paramyxovirus was excluded in in poor nutritional condition. summary — Newcastle 14 events by PCR testing PPMV-1 was confirmed by PCR disease and avian specifically for Newcastle disease on pooled cloacal and tracheal (ND) virus or pigeon swabs tested at NSW DPI influenza exclusion paramyxovirus type 1 (PPMV-1), Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural WHA received 48 reports of wild or both. PPMV-1 was diagnosed Institute, Menangle. AI, Chlamydia bird mortality or morbidity in a number of wild bird mortality psittaci and pigeon rotavirus investigations from around events this quarter, as detailed were excluded via PCR assay. Australia during the quarter. above. Investigations may involve a In the same month at a property single animal or multiple animals Pigeon paramyxovirus in the suburb of Weston in the (e.g. mass mortality event). A type 1 detected in feral Australian Capital Territory, approximately seven feral breakdown of wild bird events by pigeons taxonomic order is given in pigeons (Columbiformes sp. Table 2. Reports and samples This quarter, Wildlife Health unidentified) presented with from sick and dead birds are Australia received reports of neurological signs, including received from members of the PPMV-1 detections in Victoria tumbling and difficulty in public, private practitioners, and, for the first time, in the righting, over a 10-day period. universities, zoo wildlife clinics Australian Capital Territory. The birds were from a flock of 30 and wildlife sanctuaries. AI was to 50 permanently resident feral In the Australian Capital Territory, excluded by polymerase chain pigeons at the property. One a feral pigeon (rock pigeon; reaction (PCR) testing for pigeon was vomiting and Columba livia) morbidity and influenza A in 23 of the events as presented with watery faeces. mortality event started in part of Australia’s general (sick The birds were easy to catch and February 2018 in the suburb of and dead bird) AI surveillance subsequently died or were Mitchell. Over a 6-week period, program. Disease caused by AI euthanased due to the severity of approximately 15 to 20 birds was excluded in the remaining illness. Four pigeons were were found dead each day. 25 events based on clinical signs, submitted to an ACT Government Before death, pigeons were history, histopathology, prevailing veterinarian for gross necropsy observed with polydipsia environmental conditions or and collection of samples for (drinking in excess). Three birds other diagnoses. Avian histopathology and specific submitted for investigation were 14 ANIMAL HEALTH SURVEILLANCE QUARTERLY APRIL TO JUNE 2018 VOLUME 23 ISSUE 2 Table 2 Wild bird disease investigations, by taxonomic order, reported into eWHIS, April to June 2018 Events Bird order Common name for bird ordera reportedb Anseriformes Magpie geese, ducks, geese and swans 3 Columbiformes Doves and pigeons 5 Charadriiformes Shorebirds 1 Falconiformes Falcons 4 Passeriformes Passerines or perching birds 12 Pelecaniformes Ibis, herons and pelicans 2 Psittaciformes Parrots and cockatoos 23 Sphenisciformes Penguins 1 Strigiformes Typical owls and barn owls 2 Suliformes Gannets, boobies and cormorants 1 a Common names adapted from: del Hoyo and Collar, 2014, HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1 — Non- passerines, Lynx Editions, Barcelona. (Courtesy of the Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy.) b Disease investigations may involve a single or multiple bird orders (e.g. mass mortality event). This quarter six wild bird events involved multiple bird orders. Two events involved the bird orders Passeriformes and Columbiformes, the third event involved Falconiformes and Strigiformes, the forth involved Passeriformes and Charadriiformes, the fifth involved Passeriformes, and Pelecaniformes, and the sixth involved Passeriformes and Strigiformes. testing at Elizabeth Macarthur lesions in the kidneys and submitted to Agribio for testing Agricultural Institute. pancreas consistent with PPMV- as part of a multi-species 1. This was confirmed by positive mortality event in Werribee On gross assessment, all birds PCR results. Cloacal samples involving house sparrows (Passer had prominent keels (were from two additional sick birds domesticus). PPMV-1 was underweight) but full crops. tested positive for PPMV-1 via detected in cloacal swabs by Histopathological lesions were PCR assay at Elizabeth PCR assay. Three house sparrows consistent with PPMV-1 and Macarthur Agricultural Institute. submitted to Agribio as part of included necrotising pancreatitis the investigation tested negative (n = 4), tubulointerstitial nephritis PPMV-1 was confirmed via PCR for avian paramyxoviruses via (n = 3) and encephalitis (n = 1). assay in a second unvaccinated PCR assay. This event was Pooled tracheal swabs and loft in the Australian Capital consistent with a common cloacal swabs (n = 4 birds) tested Territory, after an investigation environmental factor and positive for PPMV-1 via PCR assay. of a mortality and morbidity suspected to be due to AI and pigeon rotavirus were event involving nine birds. In organophosphate poisoning. excluded via PCR assay. June, seven feral pigeons (C. livia) died at a property in the PPMV-1 was first detected in In the following months, PPMV-1 centre of Canberra. Despite the domestic loft pigeons in was confirmed in two domestic event being noted as unusual, Shepparton, Victoria, in August pigeon lofts in the Australian samples were not submitted for 2011.4 The first confirmed case in Capital Territory. testing due to autolysis. a free-ranging bird was reported in October 2011 in a feral pigeon A number of sick pigeons from One feral pigeon (C. livia) was in Melbourne, Victoria.5 Since the first loft were presented to a found weak and unable to fly in then, PPMV-1 in free-ranging feral local veterinarian in April Fitzroy North, Melbourne, pigeons has been detected in the following the death of eight Victoria in May. The incident was Greater Sydney region, New pigeons from a free-fly aviary reported to an Agriculture South Wales and Victoria, (domestic pigeons and a small Victoria veterinary officer and primarily around Melbourne. In number of feral pigeons are free the bird submitted to Agribio several cases, the likely source of to fly in and out of the aviary). Veterinary Diagnostic Services, infection was domestic The pigeons had not been Bundoora for testing. pigeons.6,7 This is the first vaccinated by the owners. detection of PPMV-1 in pigeons in The cloacal swab was positive the Australian Capital Territory Samples from one dead pigeon, for PPMV-1 via PCR assay, and (Figure 7). necropsied by the ACT microscopic renal lesions were Government veterinarian and also consistent with the disease. 4 AHSQ, Vol. 16, Issue 3. submitted to Elizabeth Macarthur 5 AHSQ, Vol. 16, Issue 4.