Diseases of rabbits
Diseases of ectotherms
Diseases of birds
Diseases of wildlife/zoo species
Miscellaneous
100

What species are affected by tularemia? How is it transmitted? 

Deadly to rabbits, rodents, and many other mammals including carnivores, humans. 

Primarily spread by ticks. 

100

Which two diseases that we discussed can cause neurologic signs in snakes and what species does each affect? 

Inclusion body disease of boas - affects boas and pythons, with pythons having faster progression. 

Ophidian Paramyxovirus - most common in vipers. 

100

What species are particularly susceptible to aspergillosis? 

Is this a contagious pathogen? 

African grey parrots; raptors; penguins

It is not contagious; it's everywhere in the environment

100

What disease is shown here? What are the two syndromes seen? 

Erysipelas 

It has a chronic skin form and an acute septicemic form 

100

What is the difference between the incubation period and infectious period of a disease? 

Incubation period = time between infection and onset of clinical signs

Infectious period = how long the animal is contagious/sheds the pathogen

200

Is syphilis a serious disease in rabbits? 

How is it treated? 

It is a skin disease and does not cause systemic illness. 

It is treated with injectable penicillin. 

200

What parasite is of significant importance in honeybees and why? 

Verroa mites

Infestation causes disease in and of itself, but also spread deformed wing virus. It is reportable.

200

Does Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease cause systemic illness in birds? 

What species gets a very severe acute form? 

Yes; it is attacks the immune system and is fatal in most cases.

African grey parrots get a septicemic form  

200

How are humans exposed to Herpes B? What type of tissue is affected? 

Exposed via macaques; nearly all (but not all) cases have been from laboratory macaques 

It is a neurologic disease in humans and is fatal once neuro signs develop 

200

Why do we care whether a virus is enveloped or non-enveloped?

Non-enveloped viruses are harder to kill with disinfectants and can be more virulent. 

300

What disease causes this appearance in rabbits? 

Does this pathogen cause disease in all rabbits? 

What is the historical significance of this disease? 

"Big head" or myxomatosis. 

Deadly to European rabbits; wild American rabbits are resistant. 

Purposefully released in Australia to control invasive rabbit population. 

300

What are the 2 agents that we discussed that may cause upper respiratory disease in tortoises/turtles?

What similarities and differences do they have? 

Mycoplasma and Herpesvirus. 

Mycoplasma is caused by a bacteria while Herpes is a virus. 

Herpes can cause more serious lesions such as diphtheritic membranes in the throat, mortality in novel species. 

Neither can be "cured." 


300

What disease causes signs like this in birds? What type of pathogen is it caused by and what is its public health significance? 

Chlamydia (psittacosis). 

Bacterial infection

Zoonotic risk; people often exposed when cleaning bird cages

300

Which species of elephant is usually an asymptomatic carrier vs. becoming clinically ill with EEHV? What age group does this disease impact? 

Is there anything new with this disease? 

African elephants can carry it; it primarily affects juvenile Asian elephants and is often fatal

There is a new vaccine that shows promise. 

300

What novel species have been affected by the current avian influenza outbreak? 

Dairy cattle

Cats

Pinnipeds (seals/sea lions) 

400

How does Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease often present? 

Is this a disease of wild or domestic rabbits? 

Sudden death is common, +/- hemorrhage. 

It causes disease in BOTH domestic and wild rabbits.

400

What viral disease causes severe gill lesions and mortality in koi? Can fish that recover be left in the system?

What is a unique method of control? 

Koi Herpesvirus

Survivors are chronic carriers and should be culled

Clinical signs can be controlled with temperature (but it does not mean the virus went away) 

400

What does PDD stand for and what type of tissue does it infect? 

Proventricular dilatation disease

It is a disease of the nervous system; the GI signs occur because of nervous tissue in the GIT. 

400

Where in the world does melioidosis occur? 

What species become very ill with this disease? 

What is the characteristic history? 

Southeast Asia and Australia

Marine mammals, humans 

Fever +/- lethargy after a heavy rainstorm 

400

What are characteristics of a good screening test? 

Highly sensitive 

Minimally invasive

Cheap

Simple 

500

How does E. cuniculi affect rabbits? 

What type of organism causes this disease? 

It causes neurologic, ocular, and renal signs. Neuro is the most common. 

It is caused by a fungus. 

500

How does the presentation of mycobacteriosis differ between amphibians and fish? 

How do we test for it (initial in-clinic test)? 

Often causes skin lesions in amphibians

Systemic diseases with abscesses/granulomas in fish

Acid-fast stain is a quick initial diagnostic test (must be confirmed) 

500

Describe the cycle of botulism in waterbirds. 

Decaying carcasses provide an anerobic environment that allows a bloom of the clostridial bacteria, toxin is produced

Maggots ingest the toxin

Birds are exposed by eating maggots and by eating other species that concentrate the toxin (i.e. fish) 

500

Which other 2 diseases are caused by the same family of viruses as Epizootic Hemorrhage Disease and what is the vector they all have in common? 

What type of animals does this disease affect? 

Bluetongue and African Horse Sickness

Culicoides midge vector

Affects cervids, i.e. deer, elk

500

In our discussions about two cases of Valley Fever in primates, what body systems were affected? 

One animal was more severely affected and required surgery. What was the surgical procedure? 

Respiratory and neurologic 

The animal with brain lesions developed hydrocephalus and required a shunt

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