Ann. Méd. Vét., 2007, 151 (2), pp 107-111 The Tasmanian Devil's transmissible facial tumorVANHERBERGHEN M., DESMECHT D.Abstract :
The Tasmanian Devil is the largest
carnivorous marsupial of Australia. Since 1996, this species faces an emerging transmissible and fatal disease that is characterized by eruption of tumors on the face and the neck. Having carried 75.000 animals off in only 8 years, the
Tasmanian Devil’s transmissible tumor dramatically threatens the survival of the species, which would have disastrous ecological consequences because of its key role as a predator and as a scavenger. The following text gathers the information available on the features of the disease and brings to the light its astonishing etiology and mode of
transmission. Get the PDF Contact person : daniel.desmecht@ulg.ac.be |