Disease in wild koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) with possible koala retrovirus involvement

Abstract

A wide range of serious, and oftentimes fatal, conditions has been observed in both free-living and captive populations of koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) and are attributed, perhaps prematurely, to the koala retrovirus (KoRV). These maladies include lymphoma, leukaemia, and other bone marrow conditions, and the so-called koala AIDS. A variety of other conditions that involve disordered growth of cells and tissues, altered or inappropriate immune responses, and degenerative conditions may also be consequences of insertional mutagenesis, or other pathogenic mechanisms associated with KoRV infection. The list of potential KoRV-associated pathologies continues to grow, as more thorough and consistent approaches to clinical assessment and diagnosis are applied to wild and captive koalas.