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EcoHealth
Published in: EcoHealth 3/2007

01-09-2007 | Special Focus: Tasmanian Devil Declines

Towards a Case Definition for Devil Facial Tumour Disease: What Is It?

Authors: Stephen B. Pyecroft, Anne-Maree Pearse, Richmond Loh, Kate Swift, Kathy Belov, Nolan Fox, Erin Noonan, Dane Hayes, Alex Hyatt, Lingfa Wang, David Boyle, Jeff Church, Debra Middleton, Robert Moore

Published in: EcoHealth | Issue 3/2007

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Abstract

In the mid 1990s an emerging disease characterised by the development of proliferative lesions around the face of Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) was observed. A multi-disciplinary approach was adopted to define the condition. Histopathological and transmission electron microscopic examination combined with immunohistochemistry help define Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD) as a neoplastic condition of cells of neuroendocrine origin. Cytogenetic analysis of neoplastic tissue revealed it to be markedly different from normal devil tissue and having a consistent karyotype across all tumours examined. Combined with evidence for Major histocompatability (MHC) gene analysis there is significant evidence to confirm the tumour is a transmissible neoplasm.
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Metadata
Title
Towards a Case Definition for Devil Facial Tumour Disease: What Is It?
Authors
Stephen B. Pyecroft
Anne-Maree Pearse
Richmond Loh
Kate Swift
Kathy Belov
Nolan Fox
Erin Noonan
Dane Hayes
Alex Hyatt
Lingfa Wang
David Boyle
Jeff Church
Debra Middleton
Robert Moore
Publication date
01-09-2007
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
EcoHealth / Issue 3/2007
Print ISSN: 1612-9202
Electronic ISSN: 1612-9210
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-007-0126-0

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