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The first evidence of an infectious disease in early penguins (1 Viewer)

Fred Ruhe

Well-known member
Netherlands
Piotr Jadwiszczak & Bruce M. Rothschild, 2017

The first evidence of an infectious disease in early penguins

Historical Biology: An International Journal of Paleobiology. in press. doi:10.1080/08912963.2017.1353606
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08912963.2017.1353606

Abstract

Traces of skeletal response to trauma are poorly documented for early (i.e. Paleogene, 66–23 Ma) penguins (Sphenisciformes) and infectious diseases that afflicted these seabirds have not been previously put on record. We report osteomyelitis (OM), typically a bacterial infection of bone, in a proximal pedal phalanx of a ‘giant’ penguin from the Eocene (56–34 Ma) of West Antarctica. Osteomyelitis had apparently complicated healing of a fracture. The injury left an oblique scar within the proximal aspect of the plantar surface, resulting in deformation of the articular surface. The recognised evidence of OM includes characteristic periosteal reaction as well as focal bone-loss and necrosis.

Enjoy,

Fred
 
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