Abstract

The prevalence of Wobbly Possum disease was monitored in wild-caught possums captured at 16 different sites. All animals were assessed for clinical signs of Wobbly Possum Syndrome from the time of their capture. Any that displayed symptoms were euthanased immediately and submitted for post mortem examination to confirm disease status. Of the 887 possums screened, 39 (4.4%) were infected with the Wobbly Possum virus. These had been trapped at 10 of the 16 sites (prevalence 0% to 23.3%). There were no significant differences in the proportion of infected animals among sites. The interval from time of capture to diagnosis ranged from 7 to 21 days. The presence of Wobbly Possum infection was not related to geographical location, sex of the animal or liveweight at the time of capture. This study suggests that both the natural prevalence of Wobbly Possum Syndrome, and the rates of cross-infection within a site are low.

EG, Thompson, and BJ McLeod

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 59, , 233-235, 1999