Little evidence of toxoplasmosis in a declining species, the northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus)

Abstract

Tissues from 28 road-killed northern quolls (Dasyurus hallucatus) were collected from Kakadu National Park in northern Australia between 1993 and 1995. These tissues, including brain, liver, lungs, cardiac muscle and skeletal muscle, were examined for histological evidence of the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. No T. gondii cysts were found. Sufficient serum was available from 22 of these quolls to test for antibodies to the parasite, using the latex agglutination test. Of these, 20 showed no reaction and 2 had very low serological reactions, which were probably not significant. This study provides little evidence that toxoplasmosis is involved in the decline of quolls in this region.