[RML] TB in NT natives

David Wilson (rwilson at taunet.net.au)
Wed, 6 Jan 1999 02:40:56 -1000

The sooty grunter with the dark front left quarter was euthenased today and
vets at the park found no obvious signs of mycobacteriosis. Samples of
various organs were taken for further investigation.

Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPIF), Fisheries Research,
the section that deal with freshwater species, was contacted and asked
about mycobacteriosis in wild fish populations and said they were mainly
concerned population dynamics and environmental influences on the
floodplain populations. They generally don't look for specific diseases.
Any testing for disease will be recorded at DPIF Berrimah Animal Research
Centre (BARC).

Berrimah Animal Research Centre are checking their records for mycobacteria
in wild fish.

I checked the records where I work and have sent two fish to BARC over the
years for examination for mycobacteriosis. Both fish were rainbowfish, one
was a red tail, M.s.australis during August 1992 and one was a banded
rainbowfish, M.trifasciata during January 1993. The first was diagnosed
as mycobacteriosis and the second was not. They are the only records of
mycobacteria checking I have done. I thought it was three years ago but
it was six, my how time flies.

I will send any further info on TB that BARC provide into RML when it
comes.

So Adrian you had better move to Darwin and keep fish in the Northern
Territory because it looks like TB is not a problem here.

Dave Wilson