Dr Natasha Speight

Dr Natasha Speight
 Position Senior Lecturer
 Org Unit School of Animal and Veterinary Science
 Email natasha.speight@adelaide.edu.au
 Telephone +61 8 8313 0655
 Location Floor/Room G ,  Corridor Block ,   Roseworthy
  • Qualifications

    PhD entitled "Oxalate nephrosis in a population of South Australian koalas", University of Adelaide, SA

    Honours degree, Reproductive biology unit, University of Adelaide, SA

    Bachelor of Science (Veterinary Biology)/ Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery, Murdoch University, WA

     

  • Research Interests

    Koala health and disease

    My research focusses on the health and diseases of koalas in South Australia, particularly oxalate nephrosis, Chlamydia, and koala retrovirus.

    Oxalate nephrosis is characterised by the precipitation of calcium oxalate in the kidneys, causing affected koalas to become ill due to kidney dysfunction. The main aims of my research have been to describe the renal histopathology and clinical biochemical abnormalities of the disease, and to determine the potential cause(s) of oxalate nephrosis in this koala population. Dietary oxalate in eucalypt leaves has been tested in several local species and found to be fairly low overall, and therefore unlikely to be the primary cause of oxalate nephrosis in koalas. An inherited abnormality of oxalate metabolism is the most likely cause but has not yet been able to be proven. It is also possible that climatic factors, such as the hot, dry summer that occurs in South Australia, contribute to the severity of this disease in SA koalas.

    Our research group has investigated Chlamydia prevalence and pathology in South Australian koala populations, and its association with koala retrovirus, as well as the differing characteristics of koala retrovirus infection in southern koalas in relation to viral loads and disease manifestation.

    Other current research interests include endocrine gland morphology and histology; gastrointestinal microbiome of koalas; and the impact of the bushfires on koala health.

  • Publications

    1.      Kasimov V, Stephenson T, Speight N, Chaber A-L, Boardman W, Easther R, Hemmatzadeh F (2020) Identification and prevalence of Phascolarctid Gammaherpesvirus types 1 and 2 in South Australian koala populations. Viruses 12, 948.

     

    2.      Speight KN, Bacci B, Stent A, Whiteley P (2020) Histological survey for oxalate nephrosis in Victorian koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus). Australian Veterinary Journal 98, 467-470.

     

    3.      Speight KN, Gates M, Scriven J, Stephenson T, Woolford L (2020) Symmetric dimethylarginine values in koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) based on oxalate nephrosis status. Australian Veterinary Journal 98, 247-249.

     

    4.      Fabijan J, Sarker N, Speight N, Owen H, Meers J, Simmons G, Seddon J, Emes RD, Tarlinton R, Hemmatzadeh F, Woolford L, Trott DJ (2020) Pathological findings in retrovirus-positive koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) from northern and southern Australia Journal of Comparative Pathology 176, 50-66.

     

    5.      Fabijan J, Speight KN, Boardman WSJ, Hemmatzadeh F, Trott DJ, Woolford L (2020) Haematological reference intervals of wild southern Australian koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus). Australian Veterinary Journal 98, 207-215.

     

    6.      Butcher RG, Pettett LM, Fabijan J, Ebrahimie E, Mohammadi-Dehcheshmeh M, Speight KN, Boardman WSJ, Bird PS, Trott DJ (2020) Periodontal disease in free-ranging koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) from the Mount Lofty Ranges, South Australia and its association with koala retrovirus infection. Australian Veterinary Journal 98, 200-206.

     

    7.      Sarker N, Fabijan J, Owen H, Seddon J, Simmons G, Speight N, Kaler J, Woolford L, Emes RD, Hemmatzadeh F, Trott D, Meers J, Tarlinton R (2020) Koala retrovirus viral load and disease burden in distinct northern and southern koala populations. Scientific Reports 10, 263.

     

    8.      Downey P, Caraguel CGB, Speight KN, Fabijan J, Boardman WSJ (2020) Field anaesthesia using alfaxalone and alfaxalone-medetomidine in free ranging koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus), a randomised comparative study. Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia 47, 368-376.

     

    9.      Immelman LM, Rich BG, Speight N (2020) Changes in antioxidant capacity of koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) based on health status, and measurement of the antioxidant ascorbate in eucalypt leaves. Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 50, 861-867.

     

    10.  Sarker N, Fabijan J, Seddon J, Tarlinton R, Owen H, Simmons G, Thia J, Speight N, Kaler J, Emes RD, Woolford L, Trott D, Hemmatzadeh F, Meers J (2019) Genetic diversity of Koala retrovirus (KoRV) env gene subtypes: Insights into northern and southern koala populations. Journal of General Virology 100, 1328-1339.

     

    11.  Pettett LM, Wilson GJ, Nicolson V, Boardman WSJ, Speight N, Fabijan J, Trott DJ, Bird PS (2019) Malocclusions in the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus). Australian Veterinary Journal 97, 473-481.

     

    12.  Taggart PL, Fancourt BA, Fabijan J, Peacock DE, Speight KN, Caraguel CGB, McAllister MM (2019) No evidence of Toxoplasma gondii exposure in South Australian koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) Journal of Parasitology 105, 638-641.

     

    13.  Fabijan J, Miller D, Olagoke O, Woolford L, Boardman W, Timms P, Polkinghorne A, Simmons G, Hemmatzadeh F, Trott D, Speight N (2019) Prevalence and clinical significance of the Koala retrovirus in two South Australian koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) populations. Journal of Medical Microbiology 68, 1072-1080.

     

    14.  Fabijan J, Caraguel C, Jelocnik M, Polkinghorne A, Boardman W, Nishimoto E, Johnsson G, Molsher R, Woolford L, Timms P, Simmons G, Hemmatzadeh F, Trott D, Speight KN (2019) Chlamydia pecorum prevalence in South Australian koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) populations: Identification and modelling of a population free from infection. Scientific Reports 9: 6261.

     

    15.  Speight KN, Houston-Francis M, Ebrahimie E, Mohammadi-Dehcheshmeh M, Saputra S, Trott DJ (2019) Oxalate-degrading bacteria, including Oxalobacter formigenes, colonise the gastrointestinal tract of healthy koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) and those with oxalate nephrosis. Australian Veterinary Journal 97: 166-170.

     

    16.  Speight KN, Colella D, Boardman W, Taggart DA, Haynes JI, Breed WG (2018) Seasonal variation in occurrence of oxalate nephrosis in South Australian koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus). Australian Mammalogy 41, 92-98.

     

    17.  Olagoke O, Miller D, Hemmatzadeh F, Stephenson T, Fabijan J, Hutt P, Finch S, Speight N, Timms P (2018) Induction of neutralizing antibody response against koala retrovirus (KoRV) and reduction in viral load in koalas following vaccination with recombinant KoRV envelope protein. npj Vaccines, 3: 30.

     

    18.  Speight KN, Hicks P, Graham C, Boardman W, Breed WG, Manthorpe E, Funnell O & Woolford L (2018b) Necropsy findings of koalas from the Mount Lofty Ranges population in South Australia. Australian Veterinary Journal, 96: 188-192.

     

    19.  Sarker N, Fabijan J, Emes RD, Hemmatzadeh F, Meers J, Moreton J, Owen H, Seddon JM, Simmons G, Speight N, Trott D, Woolford L, Tarlinton R (2018) Identification of stable reference genes for quantitative PCR in koalas. Scientific Reports 8, 3364.

     

    20.  Fabijan J, Woolford L, Lathe S, Simmons G, Hemmatzadeh F, Trott D and Speight KN. (2017) Koala retrovirus, lymphosarcoma and reproductive chlamydiosis in a South Australian female koala (Phascolarctos cinereus). Journal of Comparative Pathology, 157:188-192.

     

    21.  Speight, KN, Whiteley, PL, Woolford, L, Duignan, PJ, Bacci, B, Lathe, S, Boardman, W, Scheelings, TF, Funnell, O, Underwood, G, Stevenson, MA (2017) Outbreaks of sarcoptic mange in free-ranging koala populations in Victoria and South Australia: a case series. Australian Veterinary Journal, 95: 244-249.

     

    22.  Speight KN, Polkinghorne A, Penn R, Boardman W, Timms P, Fraser T, Johnson K, Faull R, Bate S and Woolford L (2016) The prevalence and pathological features of Chlamydia pecorum infections in South Australian koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus). Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 52: 301-306.

     

    23.  Jelocnik M, Bachmann NL, Kaltenboeck B, Waugh C, Woolford L, Speight KN, Gillett A, Higgins D, Flanagan C, Myers GS, Timms P and Polkinghorne A. (2015). Genetic diversity in the plasticity zone and the presence of the chlamydial plasmid differentiates Chlamydia pecorum strains from pigs, sheep, cattle, and koalas. BMC Genomics, 16: 893-907.

     

    24.  Speight KN, Kokkinn MJ and Breed WG (2015) The gastrointestinal tract of the Australian water rat (Hydromys chrysogaster)- its morphological adaptations to a carnivorous diet. Australian Mammalogy, 38: 52-57.

     

    25.  Graham C, Woolford L, Johnson L, Speight KN. (2015) Age-dependent changes in gross and histological morphology of the thyroid gland in South Australian koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus). Australian Journal of Zoology, 62: 360-365.

     

    26.  Speight KN, Haynes JI, Boardman W, Breed WG, Taggart D, Rich B and Woolford L. (2014). Plasma biochemistry and urinalysis variables of koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) with and without oxalate nephrosis. Veterinary Clinical Pathology, 43: 244-254.

     

    27.  Speight KN, Haynes JI, Boardman W, Breed WG, Taggart D, Leigh C and Rich B. (2013b) Leaf oxalate content of Eucalyptus spp. and its implications for koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) with oxalate nephrosis. Australian Journal of Zoology, 61(5): 366-371.

     

    28.  Breed WG, Leigh C and Speight N. (2013) Coevolution of the male and female reproductive tract in an old endemic murine rodent of Australia. Journal of Zoology, 289: 94-100.

     

    29. Speight KN, Boardman W, Breed WG, Taggart DA, Woolford L and Haynes JI. (2013a) Pathological features of oxalate nephrosis in a population of koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) in South Australia. Veterinary Pathology 50: 299-307. 

       

    1. Professional Associations

      Veterinary Surgeon's Board of South Australia (registered veterinarian)

      Wildlife Disease Association (Australasian section)

      South Australian Veterinary Emergency Management

      Australian Mammal Society

      Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology & Biodiversity

      South Australian Wildlife Health Network

      Australian Wildlife Management Society

       

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    Entry last updated: Tuesday, 29 Mar 2022

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