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Sarlin PJ, Morris S, Geethambika SB, Gopi L, Muraleedharan M, Thomas JA, Savitha G, Joseph P. Halocercus lagenorhynchi infection in a stranded striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba (Meyen, 1833) on the Southwest coastline of India. J Parasit Dis 2024; 48:168-179. [PMID: 38440750 PMCID: PMC10908710 DOI: 10.1007/s12639-024-01646-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Necropsy on a striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba (Meyen, 1833) entangled in ghost fishing net and dead while rescuing yielded some helminth parasites, later identified as Halocercus lagenorhynchi. DNA barcoding of the host and parasite and the phylogenetic analysis of the parasite was conducted. This study provides valuable information towards establishing basal data of marine mammal parasite diversity and distribution in the Indian waters. We believe this is the first report of the occurrence of Halocercus lagenorhynchi in marine mammals in India.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pathissery John Sarlin
- PG and Research Department of Zoology, Fatima Mata National College (Autonomous), University of Kerala, Kollam, India
| | - Sancia Morris
- Institute of Chemical Technology Mumbai, IOC Bhuvneshwar Odisha, Bhubaneswar, India
| | | | - Lijin Gopi
- School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA
| | - Megha Muraleedharan
- PG and Research Department of Zoology, Fatima Mata National College (Autonomous), University of Kerala, Kollam, India
| | - Jeniffer Ann Thomas
- PG and Research Department of Zoology, Fatima Mata National College (Autonomous), University of Kerala, Kollam, India
| | - Gayathry Savitha
- PG and Research Department of Zoology, Fatima Mata National College (Autonomous), University of Kerala, Kollam, India
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Garcia-Bustos V, Acosta-Hernández B, Cabañero-Navalón MD, Pemán J, Ruiz-Gaitán AC, Rosario Medina I. The Ecology of Non- Candida Yeasts and Dimorphic Fungi in Cetaceans: From Pathogenicity to Environmental and Global Health Implications. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:111. [PMID: 38392783 PMCID: PMC10889755 DOI: 10.3390/jof10020111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Cetaceans, which are integral to marine ecosystems, face escalating anthropogenic threats, including climate change and pollution, positioning them as critical sentinel species for ocean and human health. This review explores the neglected realm of non-Candida yeasts in cetaceans, addressing the gaps in the understanding of their prevalence, pathogenicity, and environmental impacts. By examining identified species such as Cryptococcus spp., Paracoccidioides spp., and several dimorphic fungi, this review emphasizes global prevalence, epidemiology and ecology, pathogenicity, and potential zoonotic implications. It also discusses the fine line between yeast commensalism and pathogenicity by considering environmental influences such as pollution, climate shifts, and immune suppression. Environmental impact discussions delve into how rising ocean temperatures and pollution can modify yeast mycobiota, potentially affecting marine host health and broader ecosystem dynamics. The cetacean's unique physiology and ecological niches are considered, highlighting potential impacts on behaviors, reproductive success, and survival rates. Identifying crucial knowledge gaps, the review calls for intensified research efforts, employing advanced molecular techniques to unravel the cetacean mycobiome. Systematic studies on yeast diversity, antifungal susceptibility, and their influence on environmental and ecosystem health are proposed, and the balance between commensal and pathogenic species emphasizes the significance of the One Health approach. In conclusion, as marine mammals face unprecedented challenges, unveiling non-Candida yeasts in cetaceans emerges as a critical endeavor with far-reaching implications for the conservation of marine ecosystems and for both animal and human public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Garcia-Bustos
- Universitary Institute of Animal Health and Food Security (ULPGC-IUSA), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35416 Arucas, Spain
- Severe Infection Research Group, Health Research Institute La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Begoña Acosta-Hernández
- Universitary Institute of Animal Health and Food Security (ULPGC-IUSA), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35416 Arucas, Spain
| | | | - Javier Pemán
- Severe Infection Research Group, Health Research Institute La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Inmaculada Rosario Medina
- Universitary Institute of Animal Health and Food Security (ULPGC-IUSA), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35416 Arucas, Spain
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3
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Soares ED, Cantor M, Bracarense APFRL, Groch KR, Domit C. Health conditions of Guiana dolphins facing cumulative anthropogenic impacts. Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-022-00299-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
AbstractCoastal areas are associated with anthropogenic activities and stressors that can expose the marine fauna to negative cumulative impacts. Apex predators, such as dolphins, can flag the quality of their environment through health parameters such as cutaneous and body conditions. We examined the potential relationship between environmental conditions and health parameters of Guiana dolphins around a port and a conservation unit within the Paranaguá Estuarine Complex, southern Brazil. During boat surveys between July 2018 and April 2019 covering both areas, we measured environmental parameters, photographed dolphins to infer their health condition and the frequency of use of the estuary. In total, 204 individual Guiana dolphins were photo-identified, 52 of which were seen in both years. In general, dolphins showed poor body condition (76% classified as emaciated or thin in 2018, and 79% in 2019), diverse cutaneous conditions (four types of lesions suggestive of an infectious aetiology, two conditions suggestive of traumatic events of anthropogenic origin, and two anomalous pigmentation) and a high prevalence of such cutaneous conditions (85% in 2018, 70% in 2019). Most individuals maintained their body and cutaneous conditions between the two years. There were no clear differences between the port and the conservation areas in terms of environmental conditions, frequency of use and health conditions of individual dolphins, suggesting that dolphins inhabiting this estuarine complex are exposed to potential cumulative impacts, such as pollutants, noise and habitat degradation. This study provides baseline information on some health parameters of Guiana dolphins in southern Brazil and highlights the need for systematic, long-term health assessment of Guiana dolphin populations to guide conservation actions to safeguard this vulnerable species.
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Gonçalves FG, Rosa PS, Belone ADFF, Carneiro LB, de Barros VLQ, Bispo RF, Sbardelott YADS, Neves SAVM, Vittor AY, Woods WJ, Laporta GZ. Lobomycosis Epidemiology and Management: The Quest for a Cure for the Most Neglected of Neglected Tropical Diseases. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8050494. [PMID: 35628750 PMCID: PMC9144079 DOI: 10.3390/jof8050494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Lobomycosis is a chronic disease caused by Lacazia loboi, which is endemic to the Amazon rainforest, where it affects forest dwellers in Brazil. There is no disease control program and no official therapeutic protocol. This situation contributes to an unknown disease prevalence and unmet needs of people disabled by this disease who seek access to treatment. This review provides an update on the subject with an emphasis on therapeutic advances in humans. All relevant studies that addressed epidemiology, diagnosis, or therapeutics of lobomycosis were considered. Seventy-one articles published between 1931 and 2021 were included for a narrative literature review on the epidemiology and quest for a cure. An effective therapy for lobomycosis has been found following decades of research led by the State Dermatology Program of Acre in the Amazon rainforest, where the largest number of cases occur. This discovery opened new avenues for future studies. The main recommendations here, addressed to the Brazilian Ministry of Health, are for lobomycosis to become a reportable disease to ensure that disease prevalence is measured, and that it be prioritized such that affected individuals may access treatment free-of-charge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franciely G. Gonçalves
- Graduate Research and Innovation Program, Centro Universitario FMABC, Santo André 09060-870, SP, Brazil;
- Research Lab at Centro Universitario UNINORTE, Rio Branco 69915-901, AC, Brazil
- State Dermatology Program of Acre, Secretariat of Health in the State of Acre (SESACRE), Rio Branco 69917-650, AC, Brazil; (L.B.C.); (V.L.Q.d.B.); (R.F.B.); (Y.A.d.S.S.); (W.J.W.)
| | - Patrícia S. Rosa
- Division of Research, Lauro de Souza Lima Institute, Bauru 17034-971, AP, Brazil; (P.S.R.); (A.d.F.F.B.)
| | - Andrea de F. F. Belone
- Division of Research, Lauro de Souza Lima Institute, Bauru 17034-971, AP, Brazil; (P.S.R.); (A.d.F.F.B.)
| | - Léia B. Carneiro
- State Dermatology Program of Acre, Secretariat of Health in the State of Acre (SESACRE), Rio Branco 69917-650, AC, Brazil; (L.B.C.); (V.L.Q.d.B.); (R.F.B.); (Y.A.d.S.S.); (W.J.W.)
| | - Vania L. Q. de Barros
- State Dermatology Program of Acre, Secretariat of Health in the State of Acre (SESACRE), Rio Branco 69917-650, AC, Brazil; (L.B.C.); (V.L.Q.d.B.); (R.F.B.); (Y.A.d.S.S.); (W.J.W.)
| | - Rosineide F. Bispo
- State Dermatology Program of Acre, Secretariat of Health in the State of Acre (SESACRE), Rio Branco 69917-650, AC, Brazil; (L.B.C.); (V.L.Q.d.B.); (R.F.B.); (Y.A.d.S.S.); (W.J.W.)
| | - Yally A. da S. Sbardelott
- State Dermatology Program of Acre, Secretariat of Health in the State of Acre (SESACRE), Rio Branco 69917-650, AC, Brazil; (L.B.C.); (V.L.Q.d.B.); (R.F.B.); (Y.A.d.S.S.); (W.J.W.)
| | | | - Amy Y. Vittor
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA;
| | - William J. Woods
- State Dermatology Program of Acre, Secretariat of Health in the State of Acre (SESACRE), Rio Branco 69917-650, AC, Brazil; (L.B.C.); (V.L.Q.d.B.); (R.F.B.); (Y.A.d.S.S.); (W.J.W.)
| | - Gabriel Z. Laporta
- Graduate Research and Innovation Program, Centro Universitario FMABC, Santo André 09060-870, SP, Brazil;
- Correspondence:
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Vilela R, Huebner M, Vilela C, Vilela G, Pettersen B, Oliveira C, Mendoza L. The taxonomy of two uncultivated fungal mammalian pathogens is revealed through phylogeny and population genetic analyses. Sci Rep 2021; 11:18119. [PMID: 34518564 PMCID: PMC8438014 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-97429-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Ever since the uncultivated South American fungal pathogen Lacazia loboi was first described 90 years ago, its etiology and evolutionary traits have been at the center of endless controversies. This pathogen infects the skin of humans and as long believed, dolphin skin. However, recent DNA analyses of infected dolphins placed its DNA sequences within Paracoccidioides species. This came as a surprise and suggested the human and dolphin pathogens may be different species. In this study, population genetic analyses of DNA from four infected dolphins grouped this pathogen in a monophyletic cluster sister to P. americana and to the other Paracoccidioides species. Based on the results we have emended the taxonomy of the dolphin pathogen as Paracoccidioides cetii and P. loboi the one infecting human. Our data warn that phylogenetic analysis of available taxa without the inclusion of unusual members may provide incomplete information for the accurate classification of anomalous species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Vilela
- Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270, Brazil
| | - Marianne Huebner
- Department of Statistics and Probability, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Camila Vilela
- Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Gabriella Vilela
- Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Bruno Pettersen
- Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Claudia Oliveira
- Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Leonel Mendoza
- Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
- Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
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6
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Gnat S, Łagowski D, Nowakiewicz A, Dyląg M. A global view on fungal infections in humans and animals: infections caused by dimorphic fungi and dermatophytoses. J Appl Microbiol 2021; 131:2688-2704. [PMID: 33754409 DOI: 10.1111/jam.15084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Fungal infections are still underappreciated and their prevalence is underestimated, which renders them a serious public health problem. Realistic discussions about their distribution, symptoms, and control can improve management and diagnosis and contribute to refinement of preventive actions using currently available tools. This article represents an overview of dermatophytes and endemic fungi that cause infections in humans and animals. In addition, the impact of climate change on the fungal spread is discussed. The endemic fungal infections characterized in this article include coccidioidomycosis, histoplasmosis, blastomycosis, lobomycosis, emergomycosis and sporotrichosis. Moreover the geographic distribution of these fungi, which are known to be climate sensitive and/or limited to endemic tropical and subtropical areas, is highlighted. In turn, dermatophytes cause superficial fungal infections of skin, hairs and nails, which are the most prevalent mycoses worldwide with a high economic burden. Therefore, the possibility of causing zoonoses and reverse zoonoses by dermatophytes is highly important. In conclusion, the article illustrates the current issues of the epidemiology and distribution of fungal diseases, emphasizing the lack of public programmes for prevention and control of these types of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Gnat
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Institute of Preclinical Veterinary Sciences, University of Life Sciences, Lublin, Poland
| | - D Łagowski
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Institute of Preclinical Veterinary Sciences, University of Life Sciences, Lublin, Poland
| | - A Nowakiewicz
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Institute of Preclinical Veterinary Sciences, University of Life Sciences, Lublin, Poland
| | - M Dyląg
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Mycology and Genetics, Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland
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Minakawa T, Shumoto G, Kezuka C, Izawa T, Sasaki K, Yamaguchi S, Kamezaki N, Yamate J, Konno T, Sano A, Itano EN, Wada S, Willson C, Ueda K. Seroprevalence of Antibodies Against Paracoccidioides Spp. in Captive Dolphins from Three Aquaria in Japan. Mycopathologia 2020; 185:1013-1020. [PMID: 33118124 DOI: 10.1007/s11046-020-00501-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The skin disease paracoccidioidomycosis ceti occurs in several dolphin species globally. Infection by the unculturable fungi Paracoccidioides brasilensis or other Paracoccidioides spp. results in chronic cutaneous and granulomatous lesions. In this study we used immunohistochemistry to investigate the seroprevalence of antibodies to Paracoccidioides spp. in captive dolphins from three aquaria in Japan. We had previously reported that there were serological cross-reactions for Paracoccidioides spp. with related species in the order Onygenales. We hypothesized that the degree of serological cross-reactions for Paracoccidioides spp. might be lower in areas, such as Japan, where the fungal diseases coccidiodomycosis and paracoccidiodomycosis are not endemic. Sera from 41 apparently healthy dolphins, including 20 Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (BD: Tursiops truncatus), 6 Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (IPBD: Tursiops aduncus), 2 F1 generation of a cross between BD and IPBD (F1), 3 Pacific white-sided dolphins (PWD: Lagenorhynchus obliquidens), 2 pantropical spotted dolphins (PSD: Stenella attenuata), 6 false killer whales (FKW: Pseudorca crassidens), and 2 rough-toothed dolphins (RTD: Steno bredanensis) were investigated. Sera from three dolphins with paracoccidioidomycosis ceti were used as a positive control. The yeast-form cells of Paracoccidioides spp. in the cutaneous tissue sample derived from the first Japanese paracoccidioidomycosis ceti case were used as the antigen for the immunohistochemistry. Of the 41 dolphins tested, 61.0% had antibodies against Paracoccidioides spp. This indicates that dolphins of several species in Japanese aquaria have likely been exposed to the pathogen Paracoccidioides spp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoko Minakawa
- Okinawa Churashima Foundation, Kunigami-Gun, Aza Ishikawa 888, Motobu-Cho, Okinawa, 905-0206, Japan
| | - Godai Shumoto
- Ryukyu Animal Medical Center, Yone 5-24, Tomigusuku, Okinawa, 901-0224, Japan.,The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Kagoshima University, 1-21-24 Korimoto, Kagoshima, 890-0065, Japan
| | - Chiho Kezuka
- Suma Aqualife Park, Wakamiya-Cho 1-3-5, Suma-Ku, Kobe, Hyogo, 654-0049, Japan
| | - Takeshi Izawa
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Division of Veterinary Sciences, Rinku-Campus, Osaka Prefecture University, Rinku-OraiKita 1-58, Izumisano, Osaka, 598-8531, Japan
| | - Kyoko Sasaki
- Chiran Meat Inspection Center, Kagoshima Prefecture, 22216-1 Minamibeppu Chiran-Cho Minamikyushu-Shi, Kagoshima, 891-0912, Japan
| | - Sayaka Yamaguchi
- Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Uehara, Nakagusuku-Gun, Nishihara, Okinawa, 903-0215, Japan
| | - Naoki Kamezaki
- Suma Aqualife Park, Wakamiya-Cho 1-3-5, Suma-Ku, Kobe, Hyogo, 654-0049, Japan
| | - Jyoji Yamate
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Division of Veterinary Sciences, Rinku-Campus, Osaka Prefecture University, Rinku-OraiKita 1-58, Izumisano, Osaka, 598-8531, Japan
| | - Toshihiro Konno
- The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Kagoshima University, 1-21-24 Korimoto, Kagoshima, 890-0065, Japan.,Tropical Bioresources Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Sembaru 1, Nakagusuku-Gun, Nishihara-Cho, Okinawa, 903-0213, Japan.,Faculty of Agriculture, University of the Ryukyus, Sembaru 1, Nakagusuku-Gun, Nishihara-Cho, Okinawa, 903-0213, Japan
| | - Ayako Sano
- Ryukyu Animal Medical Center, Yone 5-24, Tomigusuku, Okinawa, 901-0224, Japan.,The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Kagoshima University, 1-21-24 Korimoto, Kagoshima, 890-0065, Japan.,Tropical Bioresources Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Sembaru 1, Nakagusuku-Gun, Nishihara-Cho, Okinawa, 903-0213, Japan.,Faculty of Agriculture, University of the Ryukyus, Sembaru 1, Nakagusuku-Gun, Nishihara-Cho, Okinawa, 903-0213, Japan
| | - Eiko Nakagawa Itano
- Department of Pathological Science, CCB, State University of Londrina, P.O. Box 6001, Londrina, PR, 86051-970, Brazil
| | - Shinpei Wada
- Laboratory of Aquatic Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Kyonan-Cho 1-7-1, Musashino, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan
| | - Chris Willson
- College of International Studies, Meio University, 1220-1 Biimata, Nago, Okinawa, 905-8585, Japan
| | - Keiichi Ueda
- Okinawa Churashima Foundation, Kunigami-Gun, Aza Ishikawa 888, Motobu-Cho, Okinawa, 905-0206, Japan.
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Florian MC, Rodrigues DA, de Mendonça SBM, Colombo AL, Tomimori J. Epidemiologic and Clinical Progression of Lobomycosis among Kaiabi Indians, Brazil, 1965-2019. Emerg Infect Dis 2020; 26:930-936. [PMID: 32310067 PMCID: PMC7181903 DOI: 10.3201/eid2605.190958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Lobomycosis is a rare granulomatous skin disease with a high prevalence in the Amazon region. The Kaiabi Indians are an especially affected group. We studied the current epidemiologic and clinical progression of lobomycosis among the Kaiabi in Brazil, from initial case reports in 1965 through 2019. A total of 60 lobomycosis cases had been reported among the Kaiabi, and we identified 3 new cases in our review. Of 550 cases of lobomycosis ever reported worldwide, 11.5% were among the Kaiabi. We note a high incidence among female Kaiabi and a precocious onset of disease in this indigenous population. Male Kaiabi frequently are infected with the multicentric form and women more frequently exhibit the localized form. Ulcerated lesions are observed more often in the multicentric form. The prevalence among this indigenous group could be explained by genetic susceptibility and lifestyle, which exposes them to a particular agent in the habitats in which they live.
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Félix F, Van Bressem MF, Van Waerebeek K. Role of social behaviour in the epidemiology of lobomycosis-like disease (LLD) in estuarine common bottlenose dolphins from Ecuador. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2019; 134:75-87. [PMID: 31020950 DOI: 10.3354/dao03356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Lobomycosis-like disease (LLD) is a chronic granulomatous skin disorder that affects Delphinidae worldwide. LLD has been observed in common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus from the Gulf of Guayaquil, Ecuador, since 1990. Although exogenous factors such as salinity and pollution may play a role in the pathogenesis of this disease in estuarine and coastal dolphin communities, we hypothesized that demography and social behaviour may also influence its epidemiology. To address this issue, the role of social behaviour in the distribution and prevalence of LLD was assessed through hierarchical cluster analysis and spatial distribution analysis in 7 dolphin communities inhabiting the inner estuary. Individuals with LLD lesions were observed in 5 of the 7 dolphin communities, with 13 of the 163 (8%) animals being positive, all adults. Among 8 dolphins of known sex, LLD affected mostly males (86%), who usually were found in pairs. Prevalence was low to moderate (5.1-13%) in dolphin communities where low-rank males had LLD. Conversely, it was high (44.4%, n = 9) in a small community where a high-rank male was infected. LLD affected both dolphins in 2 of the 4 male pairs for which large time series data were available, suggesting horizontal transmission due to contact. Thus, association with LLD-positive males seems to be an important risk factor for infections. Additionally, low-rank males had larger home ranges than high-rank males, indicating that low-status LLD-affected dolphins are likely responsible for the geographic dissemination of the disease in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Félix
- Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, 170143 Quito, Ecuador
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10
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Leone AB, Bonanno Ferraro G, Boitani L, Blasi MF. Skin marks in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) interacting with artisanal fishery in the central Mediterranean Sea. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0211767. [PMID: 30721248 PMCID: PMC6363217 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Skin marks occur frequently in many cetacean species across the globe revealing a broad spectrum of causes, including social interactions, infectious diseases and injuries produced by anthropogenic factors. The current study used photo-id data from 2005-2014 to estimate the skin mark pattern on resident bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from the Aeolian Archipelago (Italy). Thirteen skin mark types were identified and their origin, prevalence and permanence time were examined. The pattern of skin marks was assessed for the abundance, richness, distribution and severity in six body regions and compared among age classes, sex and degree of dolphins' interaction with trammel nets (DIN). Our results showed higher prevalence, abundance, richness and distribution of skin marks in adults than in the younger age classes, with the exception of black marks and white ring lesions. The prevalence and abundance of skin marks were higher in males than females, with the exception of scratches and white patches. Moreover, gunshot wounds, mutilations and irregular dorsal fin edges were found only on adult males. Since males showed higher DIN than females and, in dolphins with higher DIN, skin marks were more abundant and frequently distributed in different body regions, the skin mark pattern in regard to DIN seems to be sex-related. The more severe marks were observed on adults, males and dolphins with higher DIN, namely skin disorder, tooth rake marks, small shallow indentations, deep indentations and mutilations. On the contrary, the severity of scratches, white patches and dark ring lesions was higher in females than males, but not significantly related to DIN and age of the individuals. Our results showed that photo-id data provide an efficient and cost-effective approach to document the occurrence of skin marks in free-ranging bottlenose dolphin populations, a critical step toward understanding the cause and supporting the conservation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Luigi Boitani
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies, University “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy
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11
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Immunohistochemical Cross-Reactivity Between Paracoccidioides sp. from Dolphins and Histoplasma capsulatum. Mycopathologia 2018; 183:793-803. [DOI: 10.1007/s11046-018-0295-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 08/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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12
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Ramos EA, Castelblanco-Martínez DN, Garcia J, Rojas Arias J, Foley JR, Audley K, Van Waerebeek K, Van Bressem MF. Lobomycosis-like disease in common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus from Belize and Mexico: bridging the gap between the Americas. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2018; 128:1-12. [PMID: 29565249 DOI: 10.3354/dao03206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Lobomycosis and lobomycosis-like diseases (LLD) (also: paracoccidioidomycosis) are chronic cutaneous infections that affect Delphinidae in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. In the Americas, these diseases have been relatively well-described, but gaps still exist in our understanding of their distribution across the continent. Here we report on LLD affecting inshore bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus from the Caribbean waters of Belize and from the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean off the southwestern coast of Mexico. Photo-identification and catalog data gathered between 1992 and 2017 for 371 and 41 individuals, respectively from Belize and Mexico, were examined for the presence of LLD. In Belize, 5 free-ranging and 1 stranded dolphin were found positive in at least 3 communities with the highest prevalence in the south. In Guerrero, Mexico, 4 inshore bottlenose dolphins sighted in 2014-2017 were affected by LLD. These data highlight the need for histological and molecular studies to confirm the etiological agent. Additionally, we document a single case of LLD in an adult Atlantic spotted dolphin Stenella frontalis in southern Belize, the first report in this species. The role of environmental and anthropogenic factors in the occurrence, severity, and epidemiology of LLD in South and Central America requires further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric A Ramos
- The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York 10016, USA
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Vilela R, Bossart GD, St Leger JA, Dalton LM, Reif JS, Schaefer AM, McCarthy PJ, Fair PA, Mendoza L. Cutaneous Granulomas in Dolphins Caused by Novel Uncultivated Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. Emerg Infect Dis 2018; 22:2063-2069. [PMID: 27869614 PMCID: PMC5189160 DOI: 10.3201/eid2212.160860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Our findings could stimulate study of public health implications of diseases caused by this fungus. Cutaneous granulomas in dolphins were believed to be caused by Lacazia loboi, which also causes a similar disease in humans. This hypothesis was recently challenged by reports that fungal DNA sequences from dolphins grouped this pathogen with Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. We conducted phylogenetic analysis of fungi from 6 bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) with cutaneous granulomas and chains of yeast cells in infected tissues. Kex gene sequences of P. brasiliensis from dolphins showed 100% homology with sequences from cultivated P. brasiliensis, 73% with those of L. loboi, and 93% with those of P. lutzii. Parsimony analysis placed DNA sequences from dolphins within a cluster with human P. brasiliensis strains. This cluster was the sister taxon to P. lutzii and L. loboi. Our molecular data support previous findings and suggest that a novel uncultivated strain of P. brasiliensis restricted to cutaneous lesions in dolphins is probably the cause of lacaziosis/lobomycosis, herein referred to as paracoccidioidomycosis ceti.
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Sacristán C, Esperón F, Ewbank AC, Kolesnikovas CKM, Catão-Dias JL. Paracoccidioidomycosis ceti in an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), Brazil. Transbound Emerg Dis 2017; 65:585-587. [PMID: 29205896 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.12781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- C Sacristán
- Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - F Esperón
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (INIA-CISA), Valdeolmos, Spain
| | - A C Ewbank
- Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Queiroz-Telles F, Fahal AH, Falci DR, Caceres DH, Chiller T, Pasqualotto AC. Neglected endemic mycoses. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2017; 17:e367-e377. [PMID: 28774696 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(17)30306-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2016] [Revised: 10/19/2016] [Accepted: 03/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Fungi often infect mammalian hosts via the respiratory route, but traumatic transcutaneous implantation is also an important source of infections. Environmental exposure to spores of pathogenic fungi can result in subclinical and unrecognised syndromes, allergic manifestations, and even overt disease. After traumatic cutaneous inoculation, several fungi can cause neglected mycoses such as sporotrichosis, chromoblastomycosis, mycetoma, entomophthoramycosis, and lacaziosis. Most of these diseases have a subacute to chronic course and they can become recalcitrant to therapy and lead to physical disabilities, including inability to work, physical deformities, and amputations. For many years, paracoccidioidomycosis was considered the most prevalent endemic systemic mycosis in the Americas, but this situation might be changing with recognition of the worldwide presence of Histoplasma capsulatum. Both paracoccidioidomycosis and histoplasmosis can mimic several infectious and non-infectious medical conditions and lead to death if not recognised early and treated. Cutaneous implantation and systemic mycoses are neglected diseases that affect millions of individuals worldwide, especially in low-income countries where their management is suboptimum because challenges in diagnosis and therapeutic options are substantial issues.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Diego R Falci
- Infectious Diseases Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Centro Universitário La Salle, Canoas, Brazil
| | - Diego H Caceres
- Mycotic Diseases Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Tom Chiller
- Mycotic Diseases Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Alessandro C Pasqualotto
- Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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Bossart GD, Fair P, Schaefer AM, Reif JS. Health and Environmental Risk Assessment Project for bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus from the southeastern USA. I. Infectious diseases. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2017; 125:141-153. [PMID: 28737159 DOI: 10.3354/dao03142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
From 2003 to 2015, 360 free-ranging Atlantic bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus inhabiting the Indian River Lagoon (IRL, n = 246), Florida, and coastal waters of Charleston (CHS, n = 114), South Carolina, USA, were captured, given comprehensive health examinations, and released as part of a multidisciplinary and multi-institutional study of individual and population health. The aim of this review is to summarize the substantial health data generated by this study and to examine morbidity between capture sites and over time. The IRL and CHS dolphin populations are affected by complex infectious and neoplastic diseases often associated with immunologic disturbances. We found evidence of infection with cetacean morbillivirus, dolphin papilloma and herpes viruses, Chlamydiaceae, a novel uncultivated strain of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis (recently identified as the causal agent of dolphin lobomycosis/lacaziasis), and other pathogens. This is the first long-term study documenting the various types, progression, seroprevalence, and pathologic interrelationships of infectious diseases in dolphins from the southeastern USA. Additionally, the study has demonstrated that the bottlenose dolphin is a valuable sentinel animal that may reflect environmental health concerns and parallel emerging public health issues.
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Detection of Multiple Budding Yeast Cells and a Partial Sequence of 43-kDa Glycoprotein Coding Gene of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis from a Case of Lacaziosis in a Female Pacific White-Sided Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens). Mycopathologia 2016; 181:523-9. [DOI: 10.1007/s11046-016-9988-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2015] [Accepted: 02/01/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Sacristán C, Réssio RA, Castilho P, Fernandes N, Costa-Silva S, Esperón F, Daura-Jorge FG, Groch KR, Kolesnikovas CKM, Marigo J, Ott PH, Oliveira LR, Sánchez-Sarmiento AM, Simões-Lopes PC, Catão-Dias JL. Lacaziosis-like disease in Tursiops truncatus from Brazil: a histopathological and immunohistochemical approach. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2016; 117:229-235. [PMID: 26758656 DOI: 10.3354/dao02954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Cetacean lacaziosis-like disease or lobomycosis-like disease (LLD) is a chronic skin condition caused by a non-cultivable yeast of the order Onygenales, which also includes Lacazia loboi, as well as Paracoccidioides brasiliensis and P. lutzii, respectively responsible for lacaziosis and paracoccidioidomycosis in humans. Complete identification and phylogenetic classification of the LLD etiological agent still needs to be elucidated, but preliminary phylogenetic analyses have shown a closer relationship of the LLD agent to Paracoccidioides spp. than to L. loboi. Cases of LLD in South American cetaceans based on photographic identification have been reported; however, to date, only 3 histologically confirmed cases of LLD have been described. We evaluated multiple tissue samples from 4 Tursiops truncatus stranded in the states of Santa Catarina (n = 3) and Rio Grande do Sul (n = 1), southern Brazil. Macroscopically, all animals presented lesions consistent with LLD. Hematoxylin-eosin, periodic acid-Schiff, Grocott's methenamine silver, and Mayer's mucicarmin stains were used for histological evaluation. Microscopically, numerous refractile yeasts (4-9 µm in diameter) were observed in skin samples (4/4), and for the first time in dolphins, also in a skeletal muscle abscess (1/4). Immunohistochemistry using anti-P. brasiliensis glycoprotein gp43 as a primary antibody, which is known to cross-react with L. loboi and the LLD agent, was performed and results were positive in all 4 cases. We describe 3 new cases of LLD in cetaceans based on histopathology and immunohistochemistry. This is the first report of LLD in the muscle of cetaceans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Sacristán
- Departamento de Patologia, Laboratório de Patologia Comparada de Animais Selvagens, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo (LAPCOM-VPT-FMVZ-USP), Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP 05508 270, Brazil
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Van Bressem MF, Simões-Lopes PC, Félix F, Kiszka JJ, Daura-Jorge FG, Avila IC, Secchi ER, Flach L, Fruet PF, du Toit K, Ott PH, Elwen S, Di Giacomo AB, Wagner J, Banks A, Van Waerebeek K. Epidemiology of lobomycosis-like disease in bottlenose dolphins Tursiops spp. from South America and southern Africa. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2015; 117:59-75. [PMID: 26575156 DOI: 10.3354/dao02932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
We report on the epidemiology of lobomycosis-like disease (LLD), a cutaneous disorder evoking lobomycosis, in 658 common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus from South America and 94 Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins T. aduncus from southern Africa. Photographs and stranding records of 387 inshore residents, 60 inshore non-residents and 305 specimens of undetermined origin (inshore and offshore) were examined for the presence of LLD lesions from 2004 to 2015. Seventeen residents, 3 non-residents and 1 inshore dolphin of unknown residence status were positive. LLD lesions appeared as single or multiple, light grey to whitish nodules and plaques that may ulcerate and increase in size over time. Among resident dolphins, prevalence varied significantly among 4 communities, being low in Posorja (2.35%, n = 85), Ecuador, and high in Salinas, Ecuador (16.7%, n = 18), and Laguna, Brazil (14.3%, n = 42). LLD prevalence increased in 36 T. truncatus from Laguna from 5.6% in 2007-2009 to 13.9% in 2013-2014, albeit not significantly. The disease has persisted for years in dolphins from Mayotte, Laguna, Salinas, the Sanquianga National Park and Bahía Málaga (Colombia) but vanished from the Tramandaí Estuary and the Mampituba River (Brazil). The geographical range of LLD has expanded in Brazil, South Africa and Ecuador, in areas that have been regularly surveyed for 10 to 35 yr. Two of the 21 LLD-affected dolphins were found dead with extensive lesions in southern Brazil, and 2 others disappeared, and presumably died, in Ecuador. These observations stress the need for targeted epidemiological, histological and molecular studies of LLD in dolphins, especially in the Southern Hemisphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Françoise Van Bressem
- Cetacean Conservation Medicine Group (CMED), Peruvian Centre for Cetacean Research (CEPEC), Museo de Delfines, Pucusana, Peru
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Tajima Y, Sasaki K, Kashiwagi N, Yamada TK. A case of stranded Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) with lobomycosis-like skin lesions in Kinko-wan, Kagoshima, Japan. J Vet Med Sci 2015; 77:989-92. [PMID: 25866402 PMCID: PMC4565825 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.14-0366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Lobomycosis is a chronic fungal disease caused by the etiologic agent, Lacazia loboi, in the skin and subcutaneous tissues in humans and dolphins in tropical and transitional tropical climates. An Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) stranded in Kagoshima, Japan, had severe skin lesions characterized by granulomatous reactions and hyperkeratosis that were similar to those of the lobomycosis, but no fungal organism was observed in the skin lesion. In this paper, we report a stranded Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin with lobomycosis-like lesions based on pathological examinations in Japan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuko Tajima
- Division of Vertebrate, Department of Zoology, National Museum of Nature and Science 4-1-1 Amakubo, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki 305-0005, Japan
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Neglected fungal zoonoses: hidden threats to man and animals. Clin Microbiol Infect 2015; 21:416-25. [PMID: 25769429 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2015.02.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2014] [Revised: 02/26/2015] [Accepted: 02/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Zoonotic fungi can be naturally transmitted between animals and humans, and in some cases cause significant public health problems. A number of mycoses associated with zoonotic transmission are among the group of the most common fungal diseases, worldwide. It is, however, notable that some fungal diseases with zoonotic potential have lacked adequate attention in international public health efforts, leading to insufficient attention on their preventive strategies. This review aims to highlight some mycoses whose zoonotic potential received less attention, including infections caused by Talaromyces (Penicillium) marneffei, Lacazia loboi, Emmonsia spp., Basidiobolus ranarum, Conidiobolus spp. and Paracoccidioides brasiliensis.
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Francesconi VA, Klein AP, Santos APBG, Ramasawmy R, Francesconi F. Lobomycosis: epidemiology, clinical presentation, and management options. Ther Clin Risk Manag 2014; 10:851-60. [PMID: 25328400 PMCID: PMC4199563 DOI: 10.2147/tcrm.s46251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Lobomycosis is a subcutaneous mycosis of chronic evolution caused by the Lacazia loboi fungus. Its distribution is almost exclusive in the Americas, and it has a particularly high prevalence in the Amazon basin. Cases of lobomycosis have been reported only in dolphins and humans. Its prevalence is higher among men who are active in the forest, such as rubber tappers, bushmen, miners, and Indian men. It is recognized that the traumatic implantation of the fungus on the skin is the route by which humans acquire this infection. The lesions affect mainly exposed areas such as the auricles and upper and lower limbs and are typically presented as keloid-like lesions. Currently, surgical removal is the therapeutic procedure of choice in initial cases. Despite the existing data and studies to date, the active immune mechanisms in this infection and its involvement in the control or development of lacaziosis have not been fully clarified. In recent years, little progress has been made in the appraisal of the epidemiologic aspects of the disease. So far, we have neither a population-based study nor any evaluation directed to the forest workers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Rajendranath Ramasawmy
- Department of Immunogenetics, Tropical Medicine Foundation Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Fábio Francesconi
- Department of Dermatology, Tropical Medicine Foundation Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
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Bessesen BL, Oviedo L, Burdett Hart L, Herra-Miranda D, Pacheco-Polanco JD, Baker L, Saborío-Rodriguez G, Bermúdez-Villapol L, Acevedo-Gutiérrez A. Lacaziosis-like disease among bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus photographed in Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2014; 107:173-180. [PMID: 24429468 DOI: 10.3354/dao02692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Lacaziosis (also known as lobomycosis) is a chronic dermal disease caused by the fungal agent Lacazia loboi, which affects both humans and dolphins. Photographic data have been used to identify lacaziosis-like disease (LLD) among dolphins in the waters of North and South America, and here we report LLD in bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus off the coast of Costa Rica, the first reporting in Central American waters. During the periods of 1991 to 1992 and 2010 to 2011, 3 research teams conducted separate dolphin surveys in the Pacific tropical fiord Golfo Dulce, and each documented skin lesions in the resident population of bottlenose dolphins. Photo-ID records were used to identify LLD-affected bottlenose dolphins and to assess their lesions. Findings showed between 13.2 and 16.1% of the identified dolphins exhibited lesions grossly resembling lacaziosis. By combining efforts and cross-referencing photographic data, the teams explored the presence of LLD in Golfo Dulce over a time gap of approximately 20 yr. Our findings expand the geographical range of the disease and offer insight into its longevity within a given population of dolphins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke L Bessesen
- Joyce Corrigan Memorial Care Center, Phoenix Zoo, Phoenix, Arizona 85008, USA
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Reif JS, Schaefer AM, Bossart GD. Lobomycosis: risk of zoonotic transmission from dolphins to humans. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2013; 13:689-93. [PMID: 23919604 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2012.1280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Lobomycosis, a fungal disease of the skin and subcutaneous tissues caused by Lacazia loboi, is sometimes referred to as a zoonotic disease because it affects only specific delphinidae and humans; however, the evidence that it can be transferred directly to humans from dolphins is weak. Dolphins have also been postulated to be responsible for an apparent geographic expansion of the disease in humans. Morphological and molecular differences between the human and dolphin organisms, differences in geographic distribution of the diseases between dolphins and humans, the existence of only a single documented case of presumed zoonotic transmission, and anecdotal evidence of lack of transmission to humans following accidental inoculation of tissue from infected dolphins do not support the hypothesis that dolphins infected with L. loboi represent a zoonotic hazard for humans. In addition, the lack of human cases in communities adjacent to coastal estuaries with a high prevalence of lobomycosis in dolphins, such as the Indian River Lagoon in Florida (IRL), suggests that direct or indirect transmission of L. loboi from dolphins to humans occurs rarely, if at all. Nonetheless, attention to personal hygiene and general principals of infection control are always appropriate when handling tissues from an animal with a presumptive diagnosis of a mycotic or fungal disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- John S Reif
- 1 College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University , Fort Collins, Colorado
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Abstract
Lacaziosis, formerly called lobomycosis, caused byLacazia loboi, is a zoonotic mycosis found in humans and dolphins and is endemic in the countries on the Atlantic Ocean. Although the Japanese coast is not considered an endemic area, photographic records of lacaziosis-like skin lesions were found in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) that were migrating in the Goto Islands (Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan). We diagnosed 2 cases of lacaziosis in bottlenose dolphins captured simultaneously at the same coast within Japanese territory on the basis of clinical characteristics, cytology, histopathology, immunological tests, and detection of partial sequences of a 43 kDa glycoprotein coding gene (gp43) with a nested-PCR system. The granulomatous skin lesions from the present cases were similar to those found in animals from endemic areas, containing multiple budding and chains of round yeast cells and positive in the immune-staining with anti-Paracoccidioides brasiliensisserum which is a fungal species related toL. loboi; however, thegp43gene sequences derived from the present cases showed 94.1% homology toP. brasiliensisand 84.1% toL. loboi. We confirmed that the causative agent at the present cases was different genotype ofL. loboifrom Amazon area.
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Abstract
Lobomycosis is a rare chronic fungal infection of the subcutaneous tissue found in South America, mainly in Brazil. It is caused by Lacazia loboi. Its clinical manifestations are dermal nodules, either lenticular or in plaques, and keloidlike lesions that can resemble nodular leprosy or leishmaniasis, other subcutaneous mycoses (sporotrychosis, chromomycosis, paracoccidioidomycosis), keloids, and malignant tumors. Diagnosis is made by the histopathological findings of the fungus. For treatment, surgical removal of the lesions, followed by itraconazole and clofazimine for disseminated lesions, has been used with variable results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinésio Talhari
- Faculty of Medicine, Nilton Liins University, Av. Professor Nilton Lins 3259, Parque das Laranjeiras, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.
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Paniz-Mondolfi A, Talhari C, Sander Hoffmann L, Connor DL, Talhari S, Bermudez-Villapol L, Hernandez-Perez M, Van Bressem MF. Lobomycosis: an emerging disease in humans and delphinidae. Mycoses 2012; 55:298-309. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0507.2012.02184.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Hart LB, Rotstein DS, Wells RS, Allen J, Barleycorn A, Balmer BC, Lane SM, Speakman T, Zolman ES, Stolen M, McFee W, Goldstein T, Rowles TK, Schwacke LH. Skin lesions on common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from three sites in the Northwest Atlantic, USA. PLoS One 2012; 7:e33081. [PMID: 22427955 PMCID: PMC3299744 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0033081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2011] [Accepted: 02/09/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Skin disease occurs frequently in many cetacean species across the globe; methods to categorize lesions have relied on photo-identification (photo-id), stranding, and by-catch data. The current study used photo-id data from four sampling months during 2009 to estimate skin lesion prevalence and type occurring on bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from three sites along the southeast United States coast [Sarasota Bay, FL (SSB); near Brunswick and Sapelo Island, GA (BSG); and near Charleston, SC (CHS)]. The prevalence of lesions was highest among BSG dolphins (P = 0.587) and lowest in SSB (P = 0.380), and the overall prevalence was significantly different among all sites (p<0.0167). Logistic regression modeling revealed a significant reduction in the odds of lesion occurrence for increasing water temperatures (OR = 0.92; 95%CI:0.906–0.938) and a significantly increased odds of lesion occurrence for BSG dolphins (OR = 1.39; 95%CI:1.203–1.614). Approximately one-third of the lesioned dolphins from each site presented with multiple types, and population differences in lesion type occurrence were observed (p<0.05). Lesions on stranded dolphins were sampled to determine the etiology of different lesion types, which included three visually distinct samples positive for herpesvirus. Although generally considered non-fatal, skin disease may be indicative of animal health or exposure to anthropogenic or environmental threats, and photo-id data provide an efficient and cost-effective approach to document the occurrence of skin lesions in free-ranging populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie Burdett Hart
- Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America.
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Esperón F, García-Párraga D, Bellière EN, Sánchez-Vizcaíno JM. Molecular diagnosis of lobomycosis-like disease in a bottlenose dolphin in captivity. Med Mycol 2011; 50:106-9. [PMID: 21838615 DOI: 10.3109/13693786.2011.594100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We report the diagnosis and molecular characterization of lobomycosis-like lesions in a captive bottlenose dolphin. The clinical picture and the absence of growth in conventional media resembled the features associated with Lacazia loboi. However sequencing of ribosomal DNA and further phylogenetic analyses showed a novel sequence more related to Paracoccidioides brasilensis than to L. loboi. Moreover, the morphology of the yeast cells differed from those L. loboi causing infections humans. These facts suggest that the dolphin lobomycosis-like lesions might have been be caused by different a different fungus clustered inside the order Onygenales. A successful treatment protocol based on topic and systemic terbinafine is also detailed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Esperón
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA-INIA), Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain.
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Burdett Hart L, Rotstein DS, Wells RS, Bassos-Hull K, Schwacke LH. Lacaziosis and lacaziosis-like prevalence among wild, common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus from the west coast of Florida, USA. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2011; 95:49-56. [PMID: 21797035 DOI: 10.3354/dao02345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Lacaziosis (lobomycosis; Lacazia loboi) is a fungal skin disease that naturally occurs only in humans and dolphins. The first reported case of lacaziosis in a bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus occurred in 1970 in Sarasota Bay, Florida, USA, and subsequent photo-ID monitoring of the Sarasota Bay dolphin population has revealed persistence of the disease. The objectives of this study were to estimate lacaziosis prevalence (P) in 2 bottlenose dolphin populations on the west coast of Florida (Sarasota Bay and Charlotte Harbor) and compare disease occurrence to other published estimates of lacaziosis in dolphin populations across the globe. Historic photographic records of dolphins captured and released for health assessment purposes (Sarasota Bay) and photo-ID studies (Charlotte Harbor) were screened for evidence of lesions consistent with lacaziosis. Health assessment data revealed a prevalence of lacaziosis in the Sarasota Bay bottlenose dolphin population between 2 and 3%, and analyses of photo-ID data provided a lacaziosis-like prevalence estimate of 2% for Charlotte Harbor dolphins. With the exception of lacaziosis prevalence estimates for dolphins inhabiting the Indian River Lagoon (P = 0.068; P = 0.12), no statistically significant differences were seen among Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor, and other published estimates. Although lacaziosis is a rare disease among these dolphin populations, studies that assess disease burden among different populations can assist with the surveillance of this zoonotic pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie Burdett Hart
- Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, 135 Cannon St. Suite 303., Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA.
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Daura-Jorge FG, Simões-Lopes PC. Lobomycosis-like disease in wild bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus of Laguna, southern Brazil: monitoring of a progressive case. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2011; 93:163-170. [PMID: 21381522 DOI: 10.3354/dao02291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Lobomycosis is a chronic dermal infection affecting humans and small cetaceans. In 1993, a study identified the presence of the etiologic agent of lobomycosis in a resident population of Tursiops truncatus (bottlenose dolphin) in Laguna, Brazil. Until now, no additional information relating to the persistence or prevalence of this pathogen in this population has been available. Numbering less than 60 animals, the residency of these dolphins in an impacted lagoon system has raised concerns about the health and viability of this small population. Using photo-identification data collected between September 2007 and September 2009, this study evaluated the occurrence of lobomycosis-like disease (LLD) throughout this population. Of 47 adult dolphins and 10 calves identified, 7 (12%) presented some form of epidermal lesion and 5 (9%) had evidence of LLD. The lesions were stable in all but 2 cases, in which a progressive development was recorded in a presumed adult female and her calf (referred to here as the LLD pair). During the first few months of observation, the lesion grew slowly and at a constant rate on the adult. However, in the fourteenth month, the growth rate increased rapidly and the first lesions appeared on the calf. Compared to the rest of the population, the LLD pair also presented a different spatial ranging pattern, suggesting a possible social or geographic factor. Current and previous records of LLD or lobomycosis indicate that the disease is endemic in this population. These findings highlight the importance of monitoring both the health of these cetaceans and the quality of their habitat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fábio G Daura-Jorge
- Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, 88040-900, Brazil.
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Abstract
The long-term consequences of climate change and potential environmental degradation are likely to include aspects of disease emergence in marine plants and animals. In turn, these emerging diseases may have epizootic potential, zoonotic implications, and a complex pathogenesis involving other cofactors such as anthropogenic contaminant burden, genetics, and immunologic dysfunction. The concept of marine sentinel organisms provides one approach to evaluating aquatic ecosystem health. Such sentinels are barometers for current or potential negative impacts on individual- and population-level animal health. In turn, using marine sentinels permits better characterization and management of impacts that ultimately affect animal and human health associated with the oceans. Marine mammals are prime sentinel species because many species have long life spans, are long-term coastal residents, feed at a high trophic level, and have unique fat stores that can serve as depots for anthropogenic toxins. Marine mammals may be exposed to environmental stressors such as chemical pollutants, harmful algal biotoxins, and emerging or resurging pathogens. Since many marine mammal species share the coastal environment with humans and consume the same food, they also may serve as effective sentinels for public health problems. Finally, marine mammals are charismatic megafauna that typically stimulate an exaggerated human behavioral response and are thus more likely to be observed.
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