Trypanosoma irwini

Trypanosoma irwini
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Phylum:	Euglenozoa
Class:	Kinetoplastea
Order:	Trypanosomatida
Family:	Trypanosomatidae
Genus:	Trypanosoma
Species:	T. irwini
Binomial name
Trypanosoma irwini McInnes, Gillett, Ryan, Austen, Campbell, Hanger & Reid, 2009

Trypanosoma irwini is a blood

The study done by McInnes et al. was the first to describe a Trypanosoma species from koalas.

Taxonomic summary

• Vertebrate host: Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus)
• Invertebrate host: None currently known
• Type location: New South Wales, Australia
• Other locations: A range of locations in Queensland, Australia
• Site of infection: blood

Host

The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is distributed in patches throughout the

(IUCN) listed the koala as potentially vulnerable in 1992, and the New South Wales Threatened Species Conservation Act of 1995 and the Queensland Nature Conservation Regulation Act of 2006 categorized the koala as vulnerable to extinction in New South Wales and Queensland.

Over the years, the koala population has experienced a loss of genetic diversity through population bottlenecks and founder effects. To combat the loss in diversity, IUCN has released captive koalas into the wild to reintroduce the species. Nonetheless, a significant reduction in the koala population over the past 200 years is apparent.^[4]

Description

The

host). T. irwini was found in the blood of koalas with the trypomastigote morphology.

Measurements determined from nine T. irwini trypomastigotes^[2]

Feature	Observed range(μm)	Mean ± s.e.(μm)
Total length	32.1–38.7	36.6±0.7
Breadth	1.9–4.5	3.0±0.3
PK	3.0–52	3.6±0.3
KN	6.0–12.1	10.3±0.6
NA	8.4–16.2	11.9±0.8
FF	8.6–12.8	10.3±0.9

• Total length: body length measured along mid-line including free flagellum (total length)
• Breadth: maximum breadth measured at nucleus level (including undulating membrane)
• PK: distance between the posterior end and the kinetoplast
• KN: distance between the kinetoplast and posterior edge of the nucleus
• NA: distance between the anterior edge of the nucleus and the anterior end of the body
• FF: length of the free flagellum

Phylogeny

.

Pathogenicity

The

pathogenicity

of Trypanosoma irwini is unclear.

Diagnosis

Blood smears show Trypanosoma irwini parasites with physical characteristics resembling the

.

In vitro culture

This parasite has not yet been successfully cultured in vitro.

Symptoms

According to the study done by McInnes et al., the sentinel koala exhibited signs of depression, weakness, pale mucous membrane, and keratoconjunctivitis. Other clinical findings include anemia, and cytological exam of bone marrow shows erythroid hyperplasia. The koala examined for the study was euthanized due to liver and kidney failure. A post-mortem examination revealed osteochondromas in the ribs, lymphoid atrophy, extensive periacinar necrosis of the liver, interstitial nephritis, extramedullary hematopoiesis of the spleen, and other problems. While not all of these clinical and pathological findings are consistent with symptoms and signs of trypanosomiasis, those that suggest extravascular hemolysis and generalized immune reaction are.

Gallery

• 
  Phylogenetic analysis of Trypanosoma ssp. and T. irwini using partial sequence analysis of 18S rDNA and gGAPDH
• 
  Phylogenetic analysis of Trypanosoma ssp. and T. irwini using partial sequence analysis of 18S rDNA
• 
  Phylogenetic analysis of Trypanosoma ssp. and T. irwini using partial sequence analysis gGAPDH

See also

• List of organisms named after famous people (born 1950–present)

References