Table 1.
Toxoplasma gondii infection surveys undertaken in free-ranging populations of Australian marsupial species. Except where noted, no prior clinical suspicion of toxoplasmosis existed in sampled animals.
| Species | Study location (study) | Sampling timeframe | Diagnostic testa | No. infected/no. tested (%) | 95% CIb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) | Roma, Queensland (Smith and Munday, 1965) | Not specified | Mouse bioassay (suspension of host brain, +/− liver, lung & spleen, injected SC; mouse brain emulsified and examined for T. gondii cysts) | 0/4 (0%) | 0–52.2% |
| Eastern grey kangaroo | Blackall, Queensland (Smith and Munday, 1965) | Not specified | Mouse bioassay (suspension of host brain, +/− liver, lung & spleen, injected SC; mouse brain emulsified and examined for T. gondii cysts) | 0/3 (0%) | 0–60.2% |
| Western grey kangaroo (M. fuliginosus) | Menzies, Western Australia (Pan et al., 2012) | 2008 | PCR (heart, liver, lung, spleen, diaphragm) | 5/5 (100%) | 54.1–99.6% |
| Western grey kangaroo-adults | Perth, Western Australia (Parameswaran et al., 2010) | Not specified | PCR (brain and tongue) | 9/12 (75%) | 46.2–90.9% |
| Western grey kangaroo-pouch young | Perth, Western Australia (Parameswaran et al., 2010) | Not specified | PCR (brain, heart, skeletal muscle, liver, lung, small intestine, kidney and spleen) | 2/17 (11.8%) | 3.6–34.7% |
| Common wallaroo (M. robustus) | Blackall, Queensland (Smith and Munday, 1965) | Not specified | Mouse bioassay (suspension of host brain, +/− liver, lung & spleen, injected SC; mouse brain emulsified and examined for T. gondii cysts) | 0/5 (0%) | 0–45.9% |
| Common wallaroo | Kynuna, Queensland (Smith and Munday, 1965) | Not specified | Mouse bioassay (suspension of host brain, +/− liver, lung & spleen, injected SC; mouse brain emulsified and examined for T. gondii cysts) | 0/3 (0%) | 0–60.2% |
| Common wallaroo | Menzies, Western Australia (Pan et al., 2012) | 2008 | PCR (heart, liver, lung, spleen, diaphragm) | 5/5 (100%) | 54.1–99.6% |
| Red kangaroo (M. rufus) | Blackall, Queensland (Smith and Munday, 1965) | Not specified | Mouse bioassay (suspension of host brain, +/− liver, lung & spleen, injected SC; mouse brain emulsified and examined for T. gondii cysts) | 0/5 (0%) | 0–45.9% |
| Red kangaroo | Longreach, Queensland (Smith and Munday, 1965) | Not specified | Mouse bioassay (suspension of host brain, +/− liver, lung & spleen, injected SC; mouse brain emulsified and examined for T. gondii cysts) | 0/6 (0%) | 0–41.0% |
| Red kangaroo | Menzies, Western Australia (Pan et al., 2012) | 2008 | PCR (heart, liver, lung, spleen, diaphragm) | 6/6 (100%) | 59.0–99.6% |
| Woyliec (Bettongia penicillata) | Manjimup, Western Australia (Parameswaran et al., 2010) | Not specified | PCR (brain and heart) | 2/4 (50%) | 14.7–85.3% |
| Long-nosed potoroo (Potorous tridactylus) | Winkleigh, Tasmania (Smith and Munday, 1965) | Not specified | Mouse bioassay (suspension of host brain, +/− liver, lung & spleen, injected SC; mouse brain emulsified and examined for T. gondii cysts) | 0/1 (0%) | 0–84.2% |
| Quokka (Setonix brachyurus) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia (Gibb et al., 1966) | Nov 1961 | Histopathology (left lateral femoral muscle biopsy) | 4/92 (4.3%) | 1.8–10.6% |
| Nov 1963 | 14/20 (70%) | 47.8–85.4% | |||
| Jan 1964 | 1/20 (5%) | 1.2–23.8% | |||
| Feb 1964 | 6/18 (33.3%) | 16.3–56.6% | |||
| Quokkad | Rottnest Island, Western Australia (Gibb et al., 1966) | Nov 1963–Feb 1964 | Mouse bioassay (suspension of host skeletal muscle, +/− liver, brain and heart, injected IP and combined IP & IC; impression smears ± histopathological examination of mice) 13-day old chick embryo inoculation (suspension of host skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle and brain) |
2/28 (7.1%) | 2.2–22.8% |
| Brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) | Brisbane, Queensland (Cook and Pope, 1959) | Not specified | Mouse bioassay (host brain suspension inoculated IC or host liver spleen, kidney and lung suspension inoculated IP; if mouse necropsy was suggestive of T. gondii infection, contact smear of brain performed) | 2/7 (28.6%) | 8.5–65.1% |
| Brushtail possum | Dalby, Queensland (Smith and Munday, 1965) | Not specified | Mouse bioassay (suspension of host brain or pooled organs, injected SC; mouse brain emulsified and examined for T. gondii cysts) | 0/3 (0%) | 0–60.2% |
| Brushtail possum | Cressy, Tasmania (Smith and Munday, 1965) | Not specified | Mouse bioassay (suspension of host brain or pooled organs, injected SC; mouse brain emulsified and examined for T. gondii cysts) | 0/9 (0%) | 0–30.8% |
| Western Ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus occidentalis)e | Western Australia (Parameswaran, 2008) | Not specified | PCR (heart of one possum, skeletal muscle of another) | 0/2 (0%) | |
| Brush-tailed phascogale (Phascogale tapoatafa) | Burleigh, Queensland (Cook and Pope, 1959) | Not specified | Mouse bioassay (host brain suspension inoculated IC or host liver spleen, kidney and lung suspension inoculated IP; if mouse necropsy was suggestive of T. gondii infection, contact smear of brain performed) | 1/1 (100%) | 15.8–98.7% |
| Eastern pygmy possum (Cercartetus nanus) | Wilmot, Tasmania (Smith and Munday, 1965) | Not specified | Mouse bioassay (suspension of host brain, +/− liver, lung & spleen, injected SC; mouse brain emulsified and examined for T. gondii cysts) | 0/1 (0%) | 0–84.2% |
| Southern brown bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus) | Brisbane & Innisfail, Queensland (Cook and Pope, 1959) | Not specified | Mouse bioassay (host brain suspension inoculated IC or host liver spleen, kidney and lung suspension inoculated IP; if mouse necropsy was suggestive of T. gondii infection, contact smear of brain performed) | 5/10 (50%) | 23.4–76.6% |
| Southern brown bandicoot | Brisbane, Queensland (Pope et al., 1957a) | August 1955–February 1956 | Mouse bioassay (host brain suspension inoculated IC or host liver spleen, kidney and lung suspension inoculated IP; if mouse necropsy was suggestive of T. gondii infection, contact smear of brain performed) | 16/38 (42.1%) | 27.8–57.9% |
| Southern brown bandicoot | Mt Glorius, Queensland (Pope et al., 1957a) | August 1955–February 1956 | Mouse bioassay (host brain suspension inoculated IC or host liver spleen, kidney and lung suspension inoculated IP; if mouse necropsy was suggestive of T. gondii infection, contact smear of brain performed) | 0/2 (0%) | 0–70.8% |
| Southern brown bandicoot | North Queensland (Pope et al., 1957a) | August 1955–February 1956 | Mouse bioassay (host brain suspension inoculated IC or host liver spleen, kidney and lung suspension inoculated IP; if mouse necropsy was suggestive of T. gondii infection, contact smear of brain performed) | 1/3 (33.3%) | 6.8–80.6% |
| Southern brown bandicoot | Brisbane, Queensland (Pope et al., 1957b) | 1951 | Histopathology (brain, lungs, liver, spleen, kidney, retroperitoneal lymph node); Mouse and guinea pig bioassays (suspension of host liver, spleen and brain injected IP and IC; histopathological examination of mouse brain, heart, lungs, spleen, skeletal muscle, kidneys, pancreas, blood) |
1/1 (100%) | 15.8–98.7% |
| Long-nosed bandicoot (Perameles nasuta) | Mt Glorius, Queensland (Pope et al., 1957a) | August 1955–February 1956 | Mouse bioassay (host brain suspension inoculated IC or host liver spleen, kidney and lung suspension inoculated IP; if mouse necropsy was suggestive of T. gondii infection, contact smear of brain performed) | 1/2 (50%) | 9.4–90.6% |
| Long-nosed bandicoot | Northern Queensland (Pope et al., 1957a) | August 1955–February 1956 | Mouse bioassay (host brain suspension inoculated IC or host liver spleen, kidney and lung suspension inoculated IP; if mouse necropsy was suggestive of T. gondii infection, contact smear of brain performed) | 2/4 (50%) | 14.7–85.3% |
| Eastern barred bandicoot (P. gunnii) | Longford, Tasmania (Smith and Munday, 1965) | Not specified | Mouse bioassay (suspension of host brain, +/− liver, lung & spleen, injected SC; mouse brain emulsified and examined for T. gondii cysts) | 0/1 (0%) | 0–84.2% |
| Eastern barred bandicootf | Tasmania (Obendorf et al., 1996) | July 1992–March 1995 | Histopathology (brain, heart, lung and skeletal muscle) with serology | 7/8 (87.5%) | 51.8–97.2% |
| Greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis) | Birdsville, Queensland (Cook and Pope, 1959) | Not specified | Mouse bioassay (host brain suspension inoculated IC or host liver spleen, kidney and lung suspension inoculated IP; if mouse necropsy was suggestive of T. gondii infection, contact smear of brain performed) | 0/1 (0%) | 0–84.2% |
| Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) | Gladstone, Tasmania (Smith and Munday, 1965) | Not specified | Mouse bioassay (suspension of host brain, +/− liver, lung & spleen, injected SC; mouse brain emulsified and examined for T. gondii cysts) | 0/3 (0%) | 0–60.2% |
| Eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus) | Gladstone, Tasmania (Smith and Munday, 1965) | Not specified | Mouse bioassay (suspension of host brain, +/− liver, lung & spleen, injected SC; mouse brain emulsified and examined for T. gondii cysts) | 0/7 (0%) | 0–36.9% |
| Spotted-tailed quoll (D. maculatus) | Wilmot, Tasmania (Smith and Munday, 1965) | Not specified | Mouse bioassay (suspension of host brain, +/− liver, lung & spleen, injected SC; mouse brain emulsified and examined for T. gondii cysts) | 0/1 (0%) | 0–84.2% |
| Northern quollg (D. hallucatus) | Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory (Oakwood and Pritchard, 1999) | 1993–1995 | Histopathology (brain, heart, lungs, diaphragm, “gut”, liver, tongue, hindleg muscle) | 0/28 (0%) | 0–11.9% |
| Kowari (Dasyuroides byrnie) | Queensland (Attwood et al., 1975) | Not specified | Histopathology (brain, spinal cord, heart, lung, kidney, adrenal gland, stomach, “gut”, spleen, pancreas, parapancreatic node) | 4/17 (23.5%) | 9.7–47.6% |
| Dusky Antechinus (Antechinus swainsonii) | Tasmania (Smith and Munday, 1965) | Not specified | Mouse bioassay (suspension of host brain, +/− liver, lung & spleen, injected SC; mouse brain emulsified and examined for T. gondii cysts) | 0/1 (0%) | 0–84.2% |
| Brown Antechinus (A. stuartii) | Not specified (Attwood et al., 1975) | Not specified | Histopathology (brain, spinal cord, heart, lung, kidney, adrenal gland, stomach, “gut”, spleen, pancreas, parapancreatic node) | 0/3 (0%) | 0–60.2% |
| White-footed dunnart (Sminthopsis leucopus) | Not specified (Attwood et al., 1975) | Not specified | Histopathology (brain, spinal cord, heart, lung, kidney, adrenal gland, stomach, “gut”, spleen, pancreas, parapancreatic node) | 0/7 (0%) | 0–36.9% |
a
Regarding mouse bioassays-SC = subcutaneous inoculation, IP = intraperitoneal inoculation, IC = intracerebral inoculation.
b
Calculated by review author using Jeffrey's 95% confidence interval.
c
One (infected) woylie exhibited neurological symptoms prior to death.
d
Survey undertaken in wild quokka with serological or histological evidence of T. gondii infection.
e
Wild possums found with neurological symptoms.
f
One bandicoot obtained via trap death-previously identified as seropositive for T. gondii; origin of the other bandicoots unclear.
g
Study subjects obtained via roadkill.