Mystery Virus Blinding Kangaroos:

[yoo at skyfox.usask.ca]

A story appeared in a local newspaper, Star Phenix, several days ago.
According to the newspaper, nearly 3 million kangaroos in Australia have
been infected, and the infected anmals have gone blinded.
Officials said at least 10 per cent of the 500,000 grey kangaroos
in South Australia and the 2.8 million in neighboring New South Wales
 have gone blinded. Rancher and farmers first noticed the odd behavior
of some kangaroos in March 1994, and the affliction spread to the north
and the south. A severe drought this year is beleived to have stressed
the kangaroos and perhaps crowded them near remaining water holes and str
streams, sppeding the spread of the disease. Other kangaroos and wallabies
have been affilicted but to a much lesser extent than the grey kangaroos.
The disease does not, so far threaten the plentiful kangaroo population,
but wildlife officials worry it may spread to endangered species like
the yellow-footed rock wallaby. Only a few hundred of them are believed
still alive. A
A pathologist at the Taronga Park Zoo in Sydney examined the carcasses
and found that animals had severe inflammation and lesions on their
retinas and optic nerves and sometimes in their brains. Under the
microscope, the retina looks like it is dissolving. But there was no
pus, a sign of bacterial infection. Virologists think the virus
is spread by insects, and the virus belongs to Bunyavirus family.
However, these have not been confirmed.......

It was an interesting story.
Have anybody heard more about this virus ?nfecting kangaroos?

I would appreciate sharing further information.


Dongwan Yoo, DVM, PhD
Veterinary Infectious Disease Organization
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, Sask.
Canada
Tel: (306) 966-7485
Fax: (306) 966-7478
e-mail: Yoo at sask.usask.ca