Koala retrovirus epidemiology, transmission mode, pathogenesis, and host immune response in koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus): a review
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Updated: Dec 12, 2025

Cortisol Measurement in Koala Phascolarctos cinereus Fur
Published on: August 23, 2019
Mohammad Enamul Hoque Kayesh1,2, Md Abul Hashem1,3, Kyoko Tsukiyama-Kohara4
1Transboundary Animal Diseases Centre, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, 1-21-24 Korimoto, Kagoshima, 890-0065, Japan.
Abstract:
Koala retrovirus (KoRV) is a major threat to koala health and conservation. It also represents a series of challenges across the fields of virology, immunology, and epidemiology that are of great potential interest to any researcher in the field of retroviral diseases. KoRV is a gammaretrovirus that is present in both endogenous and exogenous forms in koala populations, with a still-active endogenization process. KoRV may induce immunosuppression and neoplastic conditions such as lymphoma and leukemia and play a role in chlamydiosis and other diseases in koalas. KoRV transmission modes, pathogenesis, and host immune response still remain unclear, and a clear understanding of these areas is critical for devising effective preventative and therapeutic strategies. Research on KoRV is clearly critical for koala conservation. In this review, we provide an overview of the current understanding and future challenges related to KoRV epidemiology, transmission mode, pathogenesis, and host immune response and discuss prospects for therapeutic and preventive vaccines.
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