Zoo Health and Disease by Ben Laney https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease en-us 2017-11-17 08:25:23 UTC 2025-05-23 17:49:49 UTC hello@padlet.com 30031596 https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/208097568 2017-11-17 13:54:25 UTC https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/208097568 Lorikeets - Avian Flu https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993380516 How is it caused:
It is caused by a type A virus and occur naturally among wild aquatic birds and can be transmitted to domesticated birds. It can be zoonotic though these cases are really rare

A range of symptoms:
- coughs
- tail bobbing
- fluffed feathers
- lack of appetite
- swelling of head
- Discharge from eyes
- Diarrhea
- Depression

It is important to note that not all birds show symptoms of bird flu and can die suddenly.

Treatment:
Any birds showing signs of  bird flu should be quarantined. Anti viral drugs can also be administered. 

Prevention: 
a vaccine has been developed to prevent avian influenza however the success in birds is dubious. It is important to prevent exposure contact with infected birds. Biosecurity methods should also be used.]]> 2020-12-07 09:30:49 UTC https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993380516 Polar bears - Phocine Distemper https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993384911 Signs and symptoms: Laboured breathing, fever, nervous symptoms
 Cause: A paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus that is pathogenic for pinniped species. 
Treatment:]]> 2020-12-07 09:32:42 UTC https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993384911 Rabies https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993394397 Causes: 
Infected saliva getting into and open wound or mucous membranes. Bite from an infected animal, for example. 

Symptoms: 
Irritability and aggressiveness. Confusion, disorientation, hallucinations. Seizures, weakness, paralysis. Loss of appetite. Foaming at the mouth. Sudden death.

Treatment: 
No treatment.

Prevention: 
Vaccination and isolating infected individuals and avoiding potential infected animals, such as bats.

]]> 2020-12-07 09:37:08 UTC https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993394397 Paramyxovirus - marmosets 30039359 https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993399003 A virus which appears when marmosets are exposed to aerosols, crowding and stress. 

Mainly effects the upper respiratory system, and can develop to a more severe systemic disease or death. Can cause lesions and congestion of the lungs and alveolar as well as acute pneumonia. 

Clinical signs: sneezing; ocular and nasal serous and discharge; dyspnoea; anorexia and depression.]]> 2020-12-07 09:39:18 UTC https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993399003 Rabies in Bats https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993401701 Rabies is a fatal notifiable disease, and is commonly found in bats. It's spread through being bitten by an infected individual, as it is found in the saliva of the bat.
Clinical signs in bats may include:
 - behaviour changes: infected animals are prone to more aggression
 - disorientation and difficulty flying (infected bats may be injured as a result)
 - eyes taking on a staring expression

Preventative treatment (vaccines) are available for humans
Dammit Tim!!]]> 2020-12-07 09:40:33 UTC https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993401701 Influenza https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993405855 A virus found in many animals such as birds and seals.
Detectable levels of antibodies are maintained for 5-9 months. It is a zoonotic disease that can result in mild conjunctivitis, pneumonia and ultimately death. It doesn't spread quickly between people, but it does in animals. It is caused by air droplets as it is an airborne disease. The virus evolves quickly due to high mutation rates.
Prevention: vaccination programmes are put in place in zoos.
Containment and strict sanitation procedures help to prevent the spread of the virus.]]> 2020-12-07 09:42:38 UTC https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993405855 yellow fever: https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993641847 monkeys are most commonly infected with the yellow fever virus. this transmitted by mosquitoes who transmit the virus back and forth between monkeys and humans. 
symptoms: 
headache
jaundice
muscle pain
nausea
vomiting
fatigue

]]> 2020-12-07 11:46:48 UTC https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993641847 ringworm https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993643360 A fungal infection.
Caused by common mould-like parasites that live on the cells in the outer layer of your skin. 

Symptoms: 
- Dandruff
- Red lesions on the head, chest, forelegs, and the ridge of the back
- Scaling, crusting, thickening and reddening of the skin
- circular patches of hair loss on the head, tail or ridge of the back.

Treatment:
- antifungal cream
- oral antifungal drugs

Prevention:
 - regularly clean bedding
- use bleach to clean]]> 2020-12-07 11:47:39 UTC https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993643360 Covid https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993643827 Cause- Bats?

Symptoms-
  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Loss of sense of smell and taste
  • Temperature

Treatment- There is not current treatment but there should be a vaccine coming out in 2021

Prevention- Lockdown/ tier system

]]> 2020-12-07 11:47:54 UTC https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993643827 Anthrax in Elephants https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993644319 Signs and Symptoms- 
  • Ulcers 
  • Shivering 
  • Swelling 
  • Decomposition of carcass 
  • External bleeding 
  • Excessive bloating 
This is one of the most fatal diseases in elephants, it is a bacterial disease (Bacillus anthracis) which is spread through contaminated water and soil


]]> 2020-12-07 11:48:10 UTC https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993644319 bird flu- https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993647848 an infectious type of influenza that spreads among birds.

its caused by touching infected birds. it occurs naturally in wild waterfowl. ]]> 2020-12-07 11:50:18 UTC https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993647848 Salmonella https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993647871 How it's caused:
transmitted from a humans eating food contaminated with animal faeces.
Symptoms:
fever
stomach cramps
diarrhoea
Treatment:
medication
intravenous fluid delivery
Prevention:
keep hot foods hot
keep cold foods cold
do not eat or drink food containing raw eggs or milk
wash hands with soap after handling reptiles, birds and chicks ]]> 2020-12-07 11:50:18 UTC https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993647871 lyme disease https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993649805 lyme disease is by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. It is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. symptoms include fever, loss of appetite, joint pain, lameness and lethargy ]]> 2020-12-07 11:51:26 UTC https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993649805 Bird Flu https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993651952 Bird flu, or avian flu, is an infectious type of influenza that spreads among birds. In rare cases, it can affect humans. There is no bird flu vaccine.  
  • Bird flu symptoms include
    • fever,
    • cough,
    • sore throat, and
    • nausea.
  • Symptoms often progress to
    • severe breathing problems,
    • pneumonia, and
    • acute  respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
]]> 2020-12-07 11:52:40 UTC https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993651952 https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993658861 2020-12-07 11:56:22 UTC https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/993658861 Foot and Mouth https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/997433489 How it's caused : 
Multiple strains of a virus from the picornavirus family which when put together cause foot and mouth. 

Symptoms : 
- Lameness
- Fever
- Lip quivers
- Throfing at the mouth and nose
- Blisters / sores on mouth and/or feet
- Bilsters on teets (cows)
- Blisters on snout (pigs)
-  loss of appetite

Treatment : 
No treatment exists, animals are left to deal with it on their own. However, the animal will most likely be culled because of the loss of milk production and the infectious state of the disease. 

Prevention : 
Vaccines - they might be vital to try to contain the disease in a controlled environment.
Strongly disinfecting areas.
Rodents seen in the area may be killed to prevent them passing 
the disease on to other animals. Biosecurity must take place.]]> 2020-12-08 09:25:50 UTC https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/997433489 Elephant TB https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/997437874 Causes:
  • Interaction with humans or other animals
Symptoms:
  • Fatigue
  • Laboured Breathing
  • Occasional Coughing
  • Mucus from the mouth and trunk
  • Reduced appetite
  • Weight loss
Treatment:
  • Multiple drugs over the course of a year
Prevention:
  • Regular testing 
  • Reducing contact with humans and other animals
  • Early detection

]]> 2020-12-08 09:27:56 UTC https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/997437874 measles in orangutans https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/997438432 Measles is an extremely infectious viral disease and can affect all primates both human and non-human. This disease is significantly more contagious in captive populations, due to not being exposed to the disease prior, as well as this the individuals which are immunocompromised are more likely to die from measles. In the wild measles is not a naturally occuring disease as there is not a high enough population density for it to be transmitted. In primates the infection ranges from asymptomatic, this is where the animal does not show symptoms to rapidly fatal. The infection can also cause immunosuppression which can then mean that the animals have dysfunctional humoral and cell-mediated immune systems which may last from weeks to months. This allows secondary bacterial infections such as pneumonia and others. 

Symptoms:
 Early symptoms: 
2-3 day fever above 40.5°C
Malaise, uncomfort, unease. 
Anorexia, going off food
Coryza, 
Keratoconjunctivitis
Dry cough.
Generalized lymphadenopathy 
splenomegaly, 
pathognomonic "Koplik spots" may appear on the buccal mucosa.
3-5 days after onset of symptoms: 
rash which first appears on face and head. 
The rash becomes maculopapular and spreads rapidly down the neck, trunk, and extremities over several days.
the rash becomes a deep reddish-purple in color and may be associated with edema of the skin.
After this stage, fever decreases and systemic manifestations begin to resolve. The rash fades from the face down to the extremities.

The causes:
As it is a virus it will act in similar ways of transmission from individual to individual, this can be through inhalation of droplets, droplets on surfaces and shared food and water resources. This particular virus can spread easily as it has a two week incubation period which can allow asymptomatic transmission before keepers can tell if the animals are infected. Which then can allow the whole colony to become infected. As well as this, orangutans can get measles from human infections from the keepers, bites to each other, blood and other bodily fluids can allow transmission. The disease strains can also transmit between multiple different primate species and colloneys if barrier nursing precautions are not maintained. This disease can become worse if there is overcrowding, improper nutrition, poor welfare, stressors, etc. this is because these factors can weaken an orangutan's immune system. 
 

The treatment and specific preventative measures: 
Although there are no direct treatments for measles there are courses of antibiotics to reduce pneumonia, and other secondary infections. These courses of antibiotics would be prescribed by the zoo vet and would need to be administered when needed, i.e. daily. 
However there are a large amount of preventative measures which can be put in place, such as regular vaccinations in the keepers and within the orangutan groups every 6-12 months. The first two vaccinations are given 2 months apart and every vaccination after is at 12 month intervals. 


]]> 2020-12-08 09:28:14 UTC https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/997438432 Enterotoxemia in elephants https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/997447095 Enterotoxemia is due to infection with a bacterium called Clostridium perfringens. It infects mostly elephants that have eaten contaminated food and is common in Thailand.

Clinical signs:
  • restless or agitated.
  • suffers a loss of appetite.
  • Diarrhoea is possible to the point where death comes from dehydration, especially in calves.

Treatment:
  • Separate the infected elephant from the rest of the herd.
  • Take the elephant to a shady, quiet and clean place.
  • Keep very sanitary conditions in regard to dung, other excretions, and uneaten food. 
  • Bury or burn waste so that it will not be able to infect other elephants.
  • anybody who has been in contact with the elephant and its bedding and food remnants should avoid contact with healthy elephants without having first carefully bathed and changed to clean clothes.
  • Give highly nutritious food that is easily digested, such as ripe bananas.
  • contact a vet
]]> 2020-12-08 09:32:25 UTC https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/997447095 Elaphant Herpesvirus https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/997452233 Cause: direct contact with bodily fluids e.g blood, semen. 
Symptoms: lethargy, unwillingness to eat, rapid heart rate, decreased blood count, blue tongue (cyanosis), mouth ulcers. 
Treatment: early treatment use anti viral meds. In young elephants is untreatable, will probably die. 
Prevention: isolation of individuals with virus, bio security, quarantine new to group, disinfectant equipment and enclosure between individuals. ]]> 2020-12-08 09:34:44 UTC https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/997452233 https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/997719736 2020-12-08 11:49:56 UTC https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/997719736 https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/997729023 2020-12-08 11:55:38 UTC https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/997729023 Rabies https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/997729995 The virus is spread through the saliva of infected animals. Infected animals can spread the virus by biting another animal or a person. 

  • irritability or aggressiveness.
  • excessive movements or agitation.
  • confusion, bizarre or strange thoughts, or hallucinations.
  • muscle spasms and unusual postures.
  • seizures 
  • weakness or paralysis

Once a rabies infection is established, there's no effective treatment.
 
  • Vaccinate your pets.
  • Report stray animals to local authorities
  • Don't approach wild animals
  • Consider the rabies vaccine if you're traveling.




]]> 2020-12-08 11:56:19 UTC https://padlet.com/benlaney/PathogenicDisease/wish/997729995