A large-scale eplzootic occurred In the Austialas~an pllchard S a r d~n o p s sagax neop~l c h a r d u s between March and September 1995 ovei more than 5000 km of the Australian coastline and 500 km of the New Zealand coastline Affected fish died wlthln a tew mlnutes of cl~nical slgns of respiratory distress and death was associated wlth hypoxaemla a n d hypercapnea Significant leslons were confined to the gllls and comprised acute to subacute inflammation followed by blzal re epithelia1 hypertrophy and hyperplasia The lesions were initially focal but progressed to become generalised over about 4 d Pathological changes in atfeded fish from xvestern Australia eastern Australia a n d New Zealand were simila~, suggesting a common aetiology The lesions were unllke those associated w~t h ichthyotoxic algae, s~l~c e o u s algae, phys~cochemical factors fungi, bacterla dinoflagellates, amoebde, other protozoa and inetazoa A herpesvlrus was consistently present In gills of affected flsh and absent from unaffected pilchards and IS proposed as the aetiological agent T h e late of spread of the mortal~ty front (approulmately 30 km d ' ) In relation to the migration late of pilchaids a n d plevaillng currents suggests that a vector was involved The dlsease may have been newly introduced lnto Australian wateis KEY WORDS Clupeoldel . Pllchard . Sardinops sagax neopilchardus . Gill dlseases . Pathology .

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Populations of both IgM and IgG antibodies were induced in the serum of cane toads Bufo marinus by immunisation with the T-dependent antigen ovalbumin, and then purified by molecular sieving and ion-exchange chromatography. Antisera against purified IgG were prepared in rabbits and sheep and used in enzyme-linked irnmunosorbent assays (ELISA) to study the kinetics of the humoral response against the model antigen in the cane toad. The applications of ELISA in the study of the seroepidemiology of putative cane toad pathogens such as ranaviruses and Mucor amphibiorum are discussed.

Data are presented on the duration of survival of 228 platypuses at six Australian zoos between 1934 and 1988. Only 22.4% of all platypuses survived more than 1 year in captivity. Of 15 living platypuses, 3 had been held in captivity for less than 1 year, 5 for between 1 and 5 years, 6 for between 5 and 10 years and 1 for 21 years. Of 213 platypuses that died in captivity, 81.7% had died within 1 year; most within the first month. The duration of survival was unrelated to the age of animals at acquisition or to sex. The survival rate of animals donated to zoos, including "refugees", was similar to that of purpose-caught animals. Clearly, only a small proportion of platypuses adapted to captive husbandry. The cause of death of most platypuses was not established. However, infectious disease did not appear to be significant. Approximately 28% of deaths were related to inadequate husbandry. Recommendations are made to improve the survival of platypuses in captivity. Research has commenced in zoos to facilitate this goal.