Australian Wildlife Health Network

Forum : Diseases and disease agents

Topic:Tammar Sudden Death Syndrome (TSDS)
Name:R Woods	Date:13/12/2007 4:14:54 PM
Email:rwoods@zoo.nsw.gov.au	Phone:

Name	Date Of Event	Posted	Details
R Woods		13/12/2007	(1 of 2 - below) In October 1998, a research facility in Sydney observed a sudden increase in deaths in its collection of tammar wallabies. Over a 6 week period more than 85 of the 234 tammars died. Sudden deaths were observed in 6 other research facilities and zoos in NSW between Oct - Dec 1998 and in one research facility in QLD in Mar 1999. 120 deaths were confirmed though population census, which suggests that about 230 tammars may have died. The majority died without premonitory signs. Sick animals died within 12h of being noticed ill (Kirkland 2005).
R Woods		13/12/2007	(2 of 2) PM findings consisted of extensive congestion and haemorrhage in a range of thoracic and abdomenal organs, major muscle groups and in subcutaneous tissues. Viruses of the Orbivirus genus (family Reoviridae), probably from the Eubenangee serogroup, were isolated from tissue samples collected from a number of tammars from a research facility in Sydney. An apparently identical Orbivirus was also isolated from a tammar that died suddenly in the QLD research facility. In many respects this disease resembles peracute bluetongue, another orbivirus infection of sheep (Kirkland 2005). Kirkland P (2005) Epidemic viral diseases of wildlife - sudden death in tammar wallabies, blind kangaroos, herpesviruses in pilchards-what next? Microbiology Australia June pp 82-84.
1