Archive: 2011

Avian malaria is caused by different sorts of the plasmodium parasite which differ to those that affect man. Infected birds may die suddenly or otherwise show general malaise with fever or hypothermia (sitting with puffed up feathers), respiratory difficulty, and dehydration. Avian malaria is spread by mosquitoes,

This project aims to increase our knowledge about the prevalence of Ranavirus spp. infections in amphibians in the Netherlands.

This project will involve the retrospective analysis of stored serum and tissue samples from deer previously submitted to the DWHC for post-mortem investigation, for the presence of infection with the bacterial cause of Q-fever, Coxiella burnetti.

In February 2011 an adult female hare which was in poor condition and had lost its flight reflex was euthanised and submitted to the DWHC for post-mortem investigation. The hare died from septicemia (blood poisoning) secondary to the severe, systemic infection with Y. pseudotuberculosis.

Researchers at the Dutch Wildlife Health Centre (DWHC) at the University of Utrecht Vet School report the first identified case of ranavirus in wild frogs in the Netherlands.

In September 2010, ranavirus spp. infection was responsible for mass die-offs amongst species of green frogs (Pelophylax spp.) and smooth newts in the Dwingelderveld National Park. This was the first identified case of ranavirus in the Netherlands to be reported in the Read more