Biomaterial Database

Morbidity and mortality of free-living and captive echidnas, Tachyglossus aculeatus (Shaw), in Australia. 1986

S McOrist, and L Smales

Between 1976 and 1985 necropsies were conducted on 55 free-living and 18 captive echidnas originating from several localities in Victoria, Australia. Injuries arising from motor vehicle accidents were the most common cause of death (24 of 55; 47%). An additional nine live echidnas were presented for clinical examination for dog or fox wounds (eight), or wire snare wounds (one). Incidental infestations with ticks (Aponomma concolor) on the skin or in the ear canal (eight of 82; 10%), and infections with intestinal cestodes (Linstowia echidnae) (nine of 73; 12%) and intestinal coccidia (three of 73; 4%) were found. Intestinal trichostrongyloidosis (four of 55; 7%), purulent bronchopneumonia (three of 55; 5%) and septicemia (three of 55; 5%) were the major disease syndromes seen in free-living echidnas. Other conditions seen were a non-specific enteritis, toxoplasmosis and bacterial granulomata. The latter lesion and the bronchopneumonia may have arisen from soil bacteria entering the body during digging and feeding activities. The echidna's ability to resist these infections may be lowered due to its low normal body temperature, and periods of torpor. Several young echidnas suffered starvation or gastric dilatation soon after capture, due to the rejection or fermentation of food offered. Captive echidnas suffered from acute salmonellosis (six of 18; 33%), toxoplasmosis (two of 18; 11%) and exposure (two of 18; 11%).

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009017	Morbidity	The proportion of patients with a particular disease during a given year per given unit of population.	Morbidities
D009026	Mortality	All deaths reported in a given population.	CFR Case Fatality Rate,Crude Death Rate,Crude Mortality Rate,Death Rate,Age Specific Death Rate,Age-Specific Death Rate,Case Fatality Rate,Decline, Mortality,Determinants, Mortality,Differential Mortality,Excess Mortality,Mortality Decline,Mortality Determinants,Mortality Rate,Mortality, Differential,Mortality, Excess,Age-Specific Death Rates,Case Fatality Rates,Crude Death Rates,Crude Mortality Rates,Death Rate, Age-Specific,Death Rate, Crude,Death Rates,Determinant, Mortality,Differential Mortalities,Excess Mortalities,Mortalities,Mortality Declines,Mortality Determinant,Mortality Rate, Crude,Mortality Rates,Rate, Age-Specific Death,Rate, Case Fatality,Rate, Crude Death,Rate, Crude Mortality,Rate, Death,Rate, Mortality,Rates, Case Fatality
D003710	Demography	Statistical interpretation and description of a population with reference to distribution, composition, or structure.	Demographer,Demographic,Demographic and Health Survey,Population Distribution,Accounting, Demographic,Analyses, Demographic,Analyses, Multiregional,Analysis, Period,Brass Technic,Brass Technique,Demographers,Demographic Accounting,Demographic Analysis,Demographic Factor,Demographic Factors,Demographic Impact,Demographic Impacts,Demographic Survey,Demographic Surveys,Demographic and Health Surveys,Demographics,Demography, Historical,Demography, Prehistoric,Factor, Demographic,Factors, Demographic,Family Reconstitution,Historical Demography,Impact, Demographic,Impacts, Demographic,Multiregional Analysis,Period Analysis,Population Spatial Distribution,Prehistoric Demography,Reverse Survival Method,Stable Population Method,Survey, Demographic,Surveys, Demographic,Analyses, Period,Analysis, Demographic,Analysis, Multiregional,Demographic Analyses,Demographies, Historical,Demographies, Prehistoric,Distribution, Population,Distribution, Population Spatial,Distributions, Population,Distributions, Population Spatial,Family Reconstitutions,Historical Demographies,Method, Reverse Survival,Method, Stable Population,Methods, Reverse Survival,Methods, Stable Population,Multiregional Analyses,Period Analyses,Population Distributions,Population Methods, Stable,Population Spatial Distributions,Prehistoric Demographies,Reconstitution, Family,Reconstitutions, Family,Reverse Survival Methods,Spatial Distribution, Population,Spatial Distributions, Population,Stable Population Methods,Technic, Brass,Technique, Brass
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000829	Animals, Domestic	Animals which have become adapted through breeding in captivity to a life intimately associated with humans. They include animals domesticated by humans to live and breed in a tame condition on farms or ranches for economic reasons, including LIVESTOCK (specifically CATTLE; SHEEP; HORSES; etc.), POULTRY; and those raised or kept for pleasure and companionship, e.g., PETS; or specifically DOGS; CATS; etc.	Farm Animals,Domestic Animals,Domesticated Animals,Animal, Domestic,Animal, Domesticated,Animal, Farm,Animals, Domesticated,Animals, Farm,Domestic Animal,Domesticated Animal,Farm Animal
D000835	Animals, Wild	Animals considered to be wild or feral or not adapted for domestic use. It does not include wild animals in zoos for which ANIMALS, ZOO is available.	Animals, Nondomestic,Animals, Nondomesticated,Animals, Feral,Stray Animals,Animal, Feral,Animal, Nondomestic,Animal, Nondomesticated,Animal, Stray,Animal, Wild,Animals, Stray,Feral Animal,Feral Animals,Nondomestic Animal,Nondomestic Animals,Nondomesticated Animal,Nondomesticated Animals,Stray Animal,Wild Animal,Wild Animals
D001315	Australia	The smallest continent and an independent country, comprising six states and two territories. Its capital is Canberra.	Canton and Enderbury Islands,Christmas Island,Christmas Island (Australia)
D001715	Bird Diseases	Diseases of birds not considered poultry, therefore usually found in zoos, parks, and the wild. The concept is differentiated from POULTRY DISEASES which is for birds raised as a source of meat or eggs for human consumption, and usually found in barnyards, hatcheries, etc.	Avian Diseases,Avian Disease,Bird Disease,Disease, Avian,Disease, Bird,Diseases, Avian,Diseases, Bird
D001717	Birds	Warm-blooded VERTEBRATES possessing FEATHERS and belonging to the class Aves.	Aves,Bird

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