Scientists suspect infected animals pass on the malignant cells when they bite each other during a fight or courtship.
Pearse and a colleague found the tumors had 13 rather than the normal 14 chromosomes. The chromosomes were abnormal, but their arrangement was identical in tumors taken from different animals. They suspect the low genetic diversity of the animals might reduce their immune response to the cancerous cell transferred during biting.
-- ProMED-mail. DEVIL FACIAL TUMOR DISEASE - AUSTRALIA (TASMANIA). ProMED-mail 2006; 1 Feb: 20060201.0328. http://www.promedmail.org. Accessed 1 February 2006.
Gory pictures are available from the Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Water & Environment.
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