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Rebollada-Merino A, García-Seco T, Pérez-Sancho M, Domínguez L, Rodríguez-Bertos A. Histopathologic and immunohistochemical findings in the placentas and fetuses of domestic swine naturally infected with Brucella suis biovar 2. J Vet Diagn Invest 2023; 35:258-265. [PMID: 36988301 PMCID: PMC10186003 DOI: 10.1177/10406387231163867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Porcine brucellosis, which is caused by Brucella suis biovar (bv) 2, is a re-emerging disease that causes reproductive problems in pigs in Europe. The pathogenesis and lesions of B. suis intrauterine infection are poorly characterized; characterization could facilitate the diagnosis and investigation of porcine brucellosis. We collected samples of placentas and fetuses for histologic and microbiologic studies during an outbreak of abortions on a pig-breeding farm in Spain. Brucella was cultured from the vaginal swabs obtained from sows that had aborted, some placentas, and fetal tissues (spleen, liver, lung, gastric content); molecular testing confirmed B. suis bv 2 infection. Histologically, there was necrotizing and hemorrhagic placentitis; suppurative hepatitis; lymphoid depletion and sinusoidal histiocytosis in the spleen, lymph nodes, and thymus; and bronchointerstitial pneumonia. Hemorrhages were observed in the umbilical cord, heart, kidneys, and brain. We detected Brucella by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in all of the placentas and fetal organs studied, specifically in the trophoblasts of the chorionic epithelium, in the cytoplasm of macrophages in the chorionic stroma, and extracellularly in necrotic debris. Furthermore, we assessed the lymphocyte population in the placentas through the use of IHC (anti-CD3, anti-Pax5 antibodies), revealing that the lymphocytic response was composed of T cells but not B cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agustín Rebollada-Merino
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Departments of Internal Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Teresa García-Seco
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Pérez-Sancho
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lucas Domínguez
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Rodríguez-Bertos
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Departments of Internal Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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Rodrigues TC, Santos AL, Pinheiro ES, Piatti RM, Castro V, Buiatte AB, Lima AM, Marmontel M. Survey for Leptospira and Brucella in Amazonian manatees, Amazon river dolphins, and a tucuxi in the Brazilian Amazon. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2022; 150:17-29. [PMID: 35796508 DOI: 10.3354/dao03667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Leptospirosis and brucellosis are zoonotic diseases with global distributions that represent severe hazards to humans and animals. We investigated exposure to Leptospira spp. and Brucella spp. in samples from Amazonian manatees Trichechus inunguis, Amazon river dolphins Inia geoffrensis, and a tucuxi Sotalia fluviatilis. The animals were free-ranging or undergoing in situ rehabilitation in the mid-Solimões River region, Brazilian Amazon. Serum samples from 19 Amazonian manatees were tested by microscopic agglutination test, Rose Bengal test, and 2-mercaptoethanol Brucella agglutination test. Antibodies against Leptospira spp. were detected in 63% of the manatees tested and serovar Patoc was considered the infecting serovar in all positive samples. Titers were generally low, indicating chronic exposure, but higher titers indicative of an active infection were detected in 3 animals. Anti-Brucella spp. antibodies were not detected. Tissue and/or body fluid samples from 12 Amazon river dolphins, a tucuxi, and 2 Amazonian manatees were investigated by multiplex PCR and bacteriology for Leptospira spp. and Brucella spp. All samples were negative. However, Enterococcus faecalis was isolated from uterine fluid, lymph node, and lung of 3 Amazon river dolphins. Bacillus spp. were isolated from milk and synovial fluid from 2 Amazon river dolphins and from a milk sample from 1 Amazonian manatee. Knowledge of the pathogens present in Amazonian manatees, Amazon river dolphins, and tucuxis is of great relevance to species conservation and environmental health. Although no clinical signs were noted, further research is needed to elucidate the clinical relevance of infection by Leptospira sp. serovar Patoc in Amazonian aquatic mammals.
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Li MY, Gao XN, Ma JY, Elsheikha HM, Cong W. A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the global prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in wild marine mammals and associations with epidemiological variables. Transbound Emerg Dis 2022; 69:e1213-e1230. [PMID: 35195942 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Revised: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii infection in wild marine mammals is a growing problem and is associated with adverse impacts on marine animal health and public health. This systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression estimates the global prevalence of T. gondii infection in wild marine mammals and analyzes the association between T. gondii infection and epidemiological variables. PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang Data databases were searched until 30 May 2021. Eighty-four studies (n = 14,931 wild marine mammals from 15 families) were identified from literature. The overall pooled prevalence of T. gondii infection was 22.44% (3,848/14,931; 95% confidence interval (CI): 17.29% - 8.04%). The prevalence in adult animals 21.88% (798/3119; 95% CI: 13.40 -31.59) was higher than in the younger age groups. North America had a higher prevalence 29.92% (2756/9243; 95% CI: 21.77 - 38.77) compared with other continents. At the country level, the highest prevalence was found in Spain 44.26% (19/88; 95%CI: 5.21 - 88.54). Regarding climatic variables, the highest prevalence was found in areas with a mean annual temperature >20°C 36.28% (171/562; 95% CI: 6.36 - 73.61) and areas with an annual precipitation >800 mm 26.92% (1341/5042; 95% CI: 18.20 - 36.59). The subgroup and meta-regression analyses showed that study-level covariates, including age, country, continent, and mean temperature, partly explained the between-study heterogeneity. Further studies are needed to investigate the source of terrestrial to aquatic dissemination of T. gondii oocysts, the fate of this parasite in marine habitat and its effects on wild marine mammals. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man-Yao Li
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, PR China
| | - Xiao-Nan Gao
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, PR China
| | - Jun-Yang Ma
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, PR China
| | - Hany M Elsheikha
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, United Kingdom
| | - Wei Cong
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, PR China
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Potential endocrine correlation with exposure to domoic acid in Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis) at the Península Valdés breeding ground. Oecologia 2021; 198:21-34. [PMID: 34800166 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-021-05078-4] [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: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
In waters off Península Valdés (PV), Argentina, southern right whales (SRW, Eubalaena australis) are occasionally exposed to domoic acid (DA), a neurotoxin produced by diatoms of the genus Pseudo-nitzschia. Domoic acid toxicity in marine mammals can cause gastrointestinal and neurological clinical signs, alterations in hematologic and endocrine variables, and can be fatal in extreme cases. In this study, we validated an enzyme immunoassay to quantify fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCm) in 16 SRW fecal samples from live and dead stranded whales in PV from 2013 to 2018 and assessed fGCm levels associated with DA exposure. Overall, fGCm levels were significantly lower in SRWs with detectable fecal DA (n = 3) as compared to SRWs with undetectable fecal DA levels (n = 13). The highest fecal DA was observed in a live lactating female, which had low fGCm compared to the other lactating females studied. The highest fGCm was observed in a lactating female with undetectable DA; interestingly, at the time of sample collection, this female was sighted with two calves, an extremely unusual occurrence in this species. Though the sample size of these exceptionally rare breeding-season fecal samples was unavoidably small, our study provides evidence of potential adrenal alterations in whales exposed to an environmental neurotoxin such as DA.
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Outcomes of 4819 cases of marine animals presented to a wildlife rehabilitation center in New Jersey, USA (1976-2016). Sci Rep 2021; 11:2182. [PMID: 33500477 PMCID: PMC7838321 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81634-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding marine animal stranding patterns can aid rehabilitation efforts and evaluations of ecosystem health. The goal of this retrospective study was to identify factors associated with outcome of marine animals presented to a rehabilitation facility in Brigantine, New Jersey, USA. Records of 4819 phocids, cetaceans, and sea turtles were reviewed. Taxa, age, sex, season, and outcome (natural death, euthanasia, transfer to another facility, and successful release) were recorded for each case. Binary logistic regression was employed to identify predictors associated with release, and a multivariate logistic regression model was developed to evaluate whether the association between taxa and chance of release persisted after adjustment for the other variables. Phocids were most likely to strand during winter. Phocids and sea turtles that stranded alive were more likely to be released than to die under care or be euthanized. Taxa, age, and season were all significantly associated with the probability of release. These results provide a reference for phocid, cetacean, and sea turtle stranding and rehabilitation in part of the mid-Atlantic region. Critical evaluation of wildlife rehabilitation is indicated to audit the success of efforts and to assess threats to free-ranging populations.
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Abstract
Inuit in Alaska, Canada, and Russia have a long-term tradition in hunting bowhead whales that reaches back several thousands of years. Central to Inuit culture, hunted bowhead whales have undergone rigorous health evaluation by hunters and communities through various iterative processes guided by traditional customary practices. These traditional customary practices are similar to western meat hygiene designed to provide a thorough health assessment of the catch and by default, a public health judgment on food safety. With the establishment of the bowhead whale harvest monitoring program in Utqiaġvik in 1972, led by the North Slope Borough leadership and Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission (AEWC), collaborative research on the health of bowhead whales between the AEWC, Village Whaling Captains Association, Whaling Captain’s Wives Association, research scientists, and veterinarians have continued to build on the in-depth Inuit knowledge of the bowhead whale. This chapter synthesizes the historic and current knowledge about health and disease conditions of the bowhead whale. The information provided is a coproduction of knowledge reflecting perspectives of Inuit indigenous and local knowledge, veterinary medicine, and biology.
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Fernández Ajó AA, Hunt KE, Giese AC, Sironi M, Uhart M, Rowntree VJ, Marón CF, Dillon D, DiMartino M, Buck CL. Retrospective analysis of the lifetime endocrine response of southern right whale calves to gull wounding and harassment: A baleen hormone approach. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 296:113536. [PMID: 32540491 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2020.113536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2019] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Physiological measurements are informative in assessing the relative importance of stressors that potentially impact the health of wildlife. Kelp Gulls, Larus dominicanus (KG), resident to the region of Península Valdés, Argentina, have developed a unique behavior of landing on the backs of southern right whale adults and calves, Eubalaena australis (SRW), where they feed on their skin and blubber. This parasitic behavior results in large open wounds on the dorsal surface of the whale. Coincidently, the SRW population off the coast of Península Valdés has experienced elevated calf mortality. We quantified levels of glucocorticoids and thyroid hormone extracted from baleen of dead calves to evaluate, retrospectively, the endocrine response of whale calves to gull wounding and harassment. Baleen accumulates hormones as it grows, allowing evaluation of long-term trends in physiological condition. While glucocorticoids (GCs) are known to increase in response to stressors such as disturbance, the metabolic hormone triiodothyronine (T3) has been shown to decrease under sustained food deprivation but is largely unaffected by disturbance stress. We quantified lifetime patterns of GCs and T3 in baleen recovered at necropsy from 36 southern right whale calves with varying severity of wounding from KGs. GC levels in baleen correlated positively with the degree of wounding, while T3 levels remained stable irrespective of the severity of the wounding. Our results suggest no evidence of malnutrition in low vs. severely wounded whales. However, the positive correlation of GCs with wound severity indicates that heavily wounded calves are suffering high levels of physiological stress before they die. This suggests that KG wounding may have contributed to the high southern right whale calf mortality observed in the Península Valdés region of Argentina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro A Fernández Ajó
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., PO Box 5640, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA; Instituto de Conservación de Ballenas, Capital Federal, O'Higgins 4380, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires 1429, Argentina.
| | - Kathleen E Hunt
- George Mason University, Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation 1500 Remount Rd, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA
| | - A Carolina Giese
- Instituto Patagónico Para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales. IPEEC-CONICET, Bvd. Brown 2915 (9120), Puerto Madryn, Argentina
| | - Mariano Sironi
- Instituto de Conservación de Ballenas, Capital Federal, O'Higgins 4380, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires 1429, Argentina; Southern Right Whale Health Monitoring Program, Los Alerces 3376, Puerto Madryn, Chubut 9120, Argentina; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales (FCEFyN), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Av. Vélez Sársfield 299, Córdoba 5000, Argentina
| | - Marcela Uhart
- Southern Right Whale Health Monitoring Program, Los Alerces 3376, Puerto Madryn, Chubut 9120, Argentina; Wildlife Health Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive, VM3B Ground Floor, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Victoria J Rowntree
- Instituto de Conservación de Ballenas, Capital Federal, O'Higgins 4380, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires 1429, Argentina; Southern Right Whale Health Monitoring Program, Los Alerces 3376, Puerto Madryn, Chubut 9120, Argentina; Department of Biology, University of Utah, 257 South 1400 East University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Ocean Alliance/Whale Conservation Institute, 32 Horton St, Gloucester, MA 01930, USA
| | - Carina F Marón
- Instituto de Conservación de Ballenas, Capital Federal, O'Higgins 4380, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires 1429, Argentina; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales (FCEFyN), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Av. Vélez Sársfield 299, Córdoba 5000, Argentina
| | - Danielle Dillon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., PO Box 5640, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Matias DiMartino
- Southern Right Whale Health Monitoring Program, Los Alerces 3376, Puerto Madryn, Chubut 9120, Argentina
| | - C Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., PO Box 5640, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
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Câmara N, Sierra E, Fernández A, Suárez-Santana CM, Puig-Lozano R, Arbelo M, Herráez P. Skeletal and Cardiac Rhabdomyolysis in a Live-Stranded Neonatal Bryde's Whale With Fetal Distress. Front Vet Sci 2019; 6:476. [PMID: 31921928 PMCID: PMC6933440 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The main objective of wildlife forensic investigation is to recognize pathologic changes and cause of death. Even though it may not always be possible to determine the specific illness and/or etiology, the description and subsequent interpretation of the injuries provide an invaluable understanding of pathology in cetacean post-mortem investigations. Although pathological studies have been previously reported in various cetacean species, such descriptions of the infraorder Mysticeti remain rare. A live-stranded neonatal Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera edeni) which subsequently died soon after the stranding, was assessed by physical exam, blood examination, gross necropsy evaluation, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry. It presented with elevated serum levels of creatine kinase, cardiac troponin I, urea, and creatinine. Microscopically, we observed keratin spicules (squamous epithelial cells) and areas of atelectasis in the lungs. Acute degeneration in the myocytes and cardiomyocytes were comparable to the findings previously described in cases of capture myopathy in live-stranded cetaceans. Immunohistochemistry biomarkers such as myoglobin, fibrinogen, and troponin were analyzed. Skeletal and myocardial damage has been documented in several cetacean species. However, this is the first reported case of skeletal and cardiac rhabdomyolysis associated with live-stranding in a newborn Bryde's whale that suffered from fetal distress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nakita Câmara
- Department of Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Veterinary School, Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Eva Sierra
- Department of Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Veterinary School, Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Antonio Fernández
- Department of Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Veterinary School, Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Cristian Manuel Suárez-Santana
- Department of Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Veterinary School, Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Raquel Puig-Lozano
- Department of Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Veterinary School, Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Manuel Arbelo
- Department of Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Veterinary School, Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Pedro Herráez
- Department of Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Veterinary School, Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
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Groch KR, Catão-Dias JL, Groch KR, Kolesnikovas CKM, de Castilho PV, Moreira LMP, Barros CRMB, Medeiros CRMD, Renault-Braga EP, Sansone M, Díaz-Delgado J. Pathologic findings and causes of death in southern right whales Eubalaena australis, Brazil. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2019; 137:23-31. [PMID: 31777396 DOI: 10.3354/dao03424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Southern right whales Eubalaena australis (SRWs) migrate to southern Brazil for breeding and calving from June through November. Overall, there is scarce knowledge on health status and pathologic conditions in SRWs. We report the pathologic and molecular investigation results of 8 SRWs that were necropsied between 2010 and 2017 within a breeding and calving ground in Santa Catarina state, Brazil. The animals were of various ages (7 newborns/calves, 1 adult) and sex (3 females, 5 males). Five whales stranded dead; 3 stranded alive and died shortly after (n = 2) or were euthanized (n = 1). The causes of stranding and/or death were neonatal respiratory distress syndrome with meconium aspiration (n = 3) with concomitant congenital hepatopathy in one of them; trauma of unknown origin (n = 3), infectious renal and lung disease with presumed sepsis (n = 1), and euthanasia (n = 1). Three animals were PCR-positive for cetacean morbillivirus; one of them also had morbilliviral antigen in kidney via immunohistochemical analysis. These results, integrating novel findings and a published report, contribute to the pathology knowledge of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kátia R Groch
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP 05508-270, Brazil
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Sánchez-Sarmiento AM, Carvalho VL, Díaz-Delgado J, Ressio RA, Fernandes NCCA, Guerra JM, Sacristán C, Groch KR, Silvestre-Perez N, Ferreira-Machado E, Costa-Silva S, Navas-Suárez P, Meirelles ACO, Favero C, Marigo J, Bertozzi CP, Colosio AC, Marcondes MCC, Cremer MJ, Dos Santos Silva N, Ferreira Neto JS, Keid LB, Soares R, Sierra E, Fernández A, Catão-Dias JL. Molecular, serological, pathological, immunohistochemical and microbiological investigation of Brucella spp. in marine mammals of Brazil reveals new cetacean hosts. Transbound Emerg Dis 2019; 66:1674-1692. [PMID: 30980699 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2018] [Revised: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Brucella-exposure and infection is increasingly recognized in marine mammals worldwide. To better understand the epidemiology and health impacts of Brucella spp. in marine mammals of Brazil, molecular (conventional PCR and/or real-time PCR), serological (Rose Bengal Test [RBT], Competitive [c]ELISA, Serum Agglutination Test [SAT]), pathological, immunohistochemical (IHC) and/or microbiological investigations were conducted in samples of 129 stranded or by-caught marine mammals (orders Cetartiodactyla [n = 124], Carnivora [n = 4] and Sirenia [n = 1]). Previous serological tests performed on available sera of 27 of the 129 animals (26 cetaceans and one manatee), indicated 10 seropositive cetaceans. Conventional PCR and/or real-time PCR performed in cases with available organs (n = 119) and/or blood or swabs (n = 10) revealed 4/129 (3.1%) Brucella-infected cetaceans (one of them with positive serology; the remaining three with no available sera). Pathological, IHC and/or microbiological analyses conducted in PCR/real-time PCR and/or seropositive cases (n = 13) revealed Brucella-type lesions, including meningitis/meningoencephalitis, pneumonia, necrotizing hepatitis, pericarditis and osteoarthritis in some of those animals, and positive IHC was found in all of them (excepting two live-stranded animals without available organs). Brucella spp. culture attempts were unsuccessful. Our results demonstrated exposure, asymptomatic, acute and chronic Brucella sp. infection in several cetacean species in the Brazilian coast, highlighting the role of this pathogen in stranding and/or death, particularly in Clymene dolphin (Stenella clymene) and short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus) off Ceará State. Novel hosts susceptible to Brucella included the franciscana (Pontoporia blainvillei), the Guiana dolphin (Sotalia guianensis) and the spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris). Additionally, three coinfection cases involving Brucella spp. and cetacean morbillivirus, Edwarsiella tarda and Proteus mirabilis were detected. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first long-term and large-scale survey of Brucella spp. in marine mammals of South America, widening the spectrum of susceptible hosts and geographical distribution range of this agent with zoonotic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angélica M Sánchez-Sarmiento
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Vitor L Carvalho
- Associação de Pesquisa e Preservação de Ecossistemas Aquáticos-AQUASIS, Caucaia, Brazil
| | - Josué Díaz-Delgado
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Carlos Sacristán
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Kátia R Groch
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Natalia Silvestre-Perez
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Ferreira-Machado
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Samira Costa-Silva
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Pedro Navas-Suárez
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana C O Meirelles
- Associação de Pesquisa e Preservação de Ecossistemas Aquáticos-AQUASIS, Caucaia, Brazil
| | - Cintia Favero
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Juliana Marigo
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carolina P Bertozzi
- Instituto de Biociências, campus do Litoral Paulista, IB/CLP - Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, São Vicente, Brazil
| | | | | | - Marta J Cremer
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação de Tetrápodes Marinhos e Costeiros, University of the Region of Joinville, São Francisco do Sul, Brazil
| | - Nairléia Dos Santos Silva
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine and animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jose Soares Ferreira Neto
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine and animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lara B Keid
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering, University of São Paulo, Pirassununga, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Soares
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine and animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Eva Sierra
- Institute for Animal Health and Food Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, Arucas, Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Antonio Fernández
- Institute for Animal Health and Food Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, Arucas, Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - José L Catão-Dias
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Vila AR, Briceño C, McAloose D, Seimon TA, Armién AG, Mauldin EA, Be NA, Thissen JB, Hinojosa A, Quezada M, Paredes J, Avendaño I, Silva A, Uhart MM. Putative parapoxvirus-associated foot disease in the endangered huemul deer (Hippocamelus bisulcus) in Bernardo O'Higgins National Park, Chile. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0213667. [PMID: 30995215 PMCID: PMC6469779 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus) is an endangered cervid endemic to southern Argentina and Chile. Here we report foot lesions in 24 huemul from Bernardo O’Higgins National Park, Chile, between 2005 and 2010. Affected deer displayed variably severe clinical signs, including lameness and soft tissue swelling of the limbs proximal to the hoof or in the interdigital space, ulceration of the swollen tissues, and some developed severe proliferative tissue changes that caused various types of abnormal wear, entrapment, and/or displacement of the hooves and/or dewclaws. Animals showed signs of intense pain and reduced mobility followed by loss of body condition and recumbency, which often preceded death. The disease affected both genders and all age categories. Morbidity and mortality reached 80% and 40%, respectively. Diagnostics were restricted to a limited number of cases from which samples were available. Histology revealed severe papillomatous epidermal hyperplasia and superficial dermatitis. Electron microscopy identified viral particles consistent with viruses in the Chordopoxvirinae subfamily. The presence of parapoxvirus DNA was confirmed by a pan-poxvirus PCR assay, showing high identity (98%) with bovine papular stomatitis virus and pseudocowpoxvirus. This is the first report of foot disease in huemul deer in Chile, putatively attributed to poxvirus. Given the high morbidity and mortality observed, this virus might pose a considerable conservation threat to huemul deer in Chilean Patagonia. Moreover, this report highlights a need for improved monitoring of huemul populations and synergistic, rapid response efforts to adequately address disease events that threaten the species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cristóbal Briceño
- ConserLab, Department of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Denise McAloose
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Zoological Health Program, Bronx, NY, United States of America
| | - Tracie A. Seimon
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Zoological Health Program, Bronx, NY, United States of America
| | - Anibal G. Armién
- Ultrastructural Pathology Unit, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth A. Mauldin
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Nicholas A. Be
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States of America
| | - James B. Thissen
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States of America
| | - Ana Hinojosa
- Departamento de Áreas Silvestres Protegidas, Corporación Nacional Forestal, Chillán, Chile
| | - Manuel Quezada
- Departamento de Patología y Medicina Preventiva, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Chillán, Chile
| | - José Paredes
- Departamento de Áreas Silvestres Protegidas, Corporación Nacional Forestal, Punta Arenas, Chile
| | - Iván Avendaño
- Departamento de Áreas Silvestres Protegidas, Corporación Nacional Forestal, Punta Arenas, Chile
| | - Alejandra Silva
- Departamento de Áreas Silvestres Protegidas, Corporación Nacional Forestal, Punta Arenas, Chile
| | - Marcela M. Uhart
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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12
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Marón CF, Kohl KD, Chirife A, Di Martino M, Fons MP, Navarro MA, Beingesser J, McAloose D, Uzal FA, Dearing MD, Rowntree VJ, Uhart M. Symbiotic microbes and potential pathogens in the intestine of dead southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) calves. Anaerobe 2019; 57:107-114. [PMID: 30959166 DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2019.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Revised: 03/30/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Between 2003 and 2017, at least 706 southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) calves died at the Península Valdés calving ground in Argentina. Pathogenic microbes are often suggested to be the cause of stranding events in cetaceans; however, to date there is no evidence supporting bacterial infections as a leading cause of right whale calf deaths in Argentina. We used high-throughput sequencing and culture methods to characterize the bacterial communities and to detect potential pathogens from the intestine of stranded calves. We analyzed small and large intestinal contents from 44 dead calves that stranded at Península Valdés from 2005 to 2010 and found 108 bacterial genera, most identified as Firmicutes or Bacteroidetes, and 9 genera that have been previously implicated in diseases of marine mammals. Only one operational taxonomic unit was present in all samples and identified as Clostridium perfringens type A. PCR results showed that all C. perfringens isolates (n = 38) were positive for alpha, 50% for beta 2 (n = 19) and 47% for enterotoxin (CPE) genes (n = 18). The latter is associated with food-poisoning and gastrointestinal diseases in humans and possibly other animals. The prevalence of the cpe gene found in the Valdés' calves is unusually high compared with other mammals. However, insufficient histologic evidence of gastrointestinal inflammation or necrosis (the latter possibly masked by autolysis) in the gut of stranded calves, and absence of enterotoxin detection precludes conclusions about the role of C. perfringens in calf deaths. Further work is required to determine whether C. perfringens or other pathogens detected in this study are causative agents of calf deaths at Península Valdés.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina F Marón
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales (FCEFyN), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba-CONICET, Córdoba, 5000, Argentina; Instituto de Conservación de Ballenas, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, 1429, Argentina.
| | - Kevin D Kohl
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15260, United States
| | - Andrea Chirife
- Southern Right Whale Health Monitoring Program, Chubut, 9120, Argentina
| | - Matías Di Martino
- Southern Right Whale Health Monitoring Program, Chubut, 9120, Argentina
| | - Mariola Penadés Fons
- Biomedical Research Institute (PASAPTA-Pathology Group), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera, CEU Universities, Valencia, Spain
| | - Mauricio A Navarro
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, University of California, Davis, CA, 92408, United States
| | - Juliann Beingesser
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, University of California, Davis, CA, 92408, United States
| | - Denise McAloose
- Southern Right Whale Health Monitoring Program, Chubut, 9120, Argentina; Wildlife Conservation Society, Zoological Health Program, Bronx Zoo, Bronx, NY, 10464, USA
| | - Francisco A Uzal
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, University of California, Davis, CA, 92408, United States
| | - M Denise Dearing
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Utah, 84112, United States
| | - Victoria J Rowntree
- Instituto de Conservación de Ballenas, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, 1429, Argentina; Southern Right Whale Health Monitoring Program, Chubut, 9120, Argentina; School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Utah, 84112, United States; Whale Conservation Institute/Ocean Alliance, Massachusetts, 01930, United States
| | - Marcela Uhart
- Southern Right Whale Health Monitoring Program, Chubut, 9120, Argentina; School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, California, 95616, United States
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13
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Sánchez-Sarmiento AM, Carvalho VL, Meirelles ACO, Gravena W, Marigo J, Sacristán C, Costa-Silva S, Groch KR, Silva ND, Ferreira Neto JS, Catão-Dias JL. Survey of Brucella spp. and Leptospira spp. antibodies in cetaceans and manatees of the Amazon basin and Atlantic Ocean, Brazil. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2018; 132:1-11. [PMID: 30530926 DOI: 10.3354/dao03312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic mammals can act as sentinels of emerging and resurging pathogens in the environment. Brucella spp. and Leptospira spp. are 2 zoonotic pathogens relevant to aquatic mammals, and their detection can be used to assess pathogen exposure. In this study, serum from 84 individuals-63 cetaceans (families Iniidae, n = 37; Delphinidae, n = 22; and Kogiidae, n = 4) and 21 West Indian manatees Trichechus manatus-was tested by the Rose Bengal Test (RBT) and a commercial competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA) for detecting Brucella spp. antibodies, and the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) for screening Leptospira spp. exposure. Overall, 4.8% (3/63) of cetaceans were positive by RBT and 15.9% (10/63) by c-ELISA for Brucella spp. Serum from 8 c-ELISA positive cetaceans (with available serum) was further tested via serum agglutination test (SAT) and 1 individual was positive. c-ELISA was more sensitive than RBT. Exposure to Brucella spp. was found in 5 cetacean species: Clymene dolphin Stenella clymene, short-finned pilot whale Globicephala macrorhynchus, pygmy killer whale Feresa attenuata, melon-headed whale Peponocephala electra and Atlantic bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus in the Atlantic Ocean, Brazil, expanding the range of known Brucella seropositive aquatic hosts. No evidence of Brucella spp. exposure was found in Iniidae and Kogiidae odontocetes and manatees. Antibodies against Leptospira spp. were not detected in cetaceans and sirenians by MAT. These results contribute to the evaluation of different Brucella spp. serological methods in cetaceans and manatees and highlight the epidemiology of zoonotic pathogens in aquatic mammals of the southwestern Atlantic Ocean and the Amazon basin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angélica M Sánchez-Sarmiento
- Laboratório de Patologia Comparada de Animais Selvagens, Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Professor Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva 87, 05508-270 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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14
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Bianchi MV, Ehlers LP, Vargas TP, Lopes BC, Taunde PA, de Cecco BS, Henker LC, Vielmo A, Lorenzett MP, Riboldi CI, Lopes CE, de Amorim DB, Diaz-Delgado J, Snel GGM, Siqueira FM, Sonne L. Omphalitis, urachocystitis and septicemia by Streptococcus dysgalactiae in a southern right whale calf Eubalaena australis, Brazil. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2018; 131:227-232. [PMID: 30459294 DOI: 10.3354/dao03293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Southern right whales Eubalaena australis (SRW) use the southern coast of Brazil as a wintering and calving ground. Other than anthropogenic threats, there is limited knowledge on health and disease aspects for this species. We report the gross and microscopic findings and microbiological identification of streptococcal septicemia in a SRW calf. Main gross findings included fibrinosuppurative omphalitis and urachocystitis, suppurative cystitis, valvular endocarditis and myocarditis, embolic pneumonia, suppurative myositis and osteoarthritis, and lymphadenomegaly. Histological examination confirmed the above inflammatory processes and indicated disseminated Gram-positive coccoid septicemia. PCR analysis, based on the 16S rRNA gene from bacteria isolated on blood agar, identified Streptococcus dysgalactiae. Pathologic and microbiologic analysis indicated that β-hemolytic S. dysgalactiae septicemia, presumably initiated as ascending omphalic infection, was responsible for stranding and death in this individual. These results further confirm pathogenicity of streptococci in cetaceans and add to the limited health and disease related pathology knowledge for this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matheus V Bianchi
- Setor de Patologia Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária (FAVET), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul (RS) 91540-000, Brazil
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15
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Groch KR, Groch KR, Kolesnikovas CKM, de Castilho PV, Moreira LMP, Barros CRMB, Morais CR, Renault-Braga EP, Sierra E, Fernandez A, Catão-Dias JL, Díaz-Delgado J. Cetacean morbillivirus in Southern Right Whales, Brazil. Transbound Emerg Dis 2018; 66:606-610. [PMID: 30365233 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2018] [Revised: 10/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV) has caused repeated epizootics and interepizootic fatalities in a variety of cetacean species worldwide. Recently, a novel CeMV strain (GD-CeMV) was linked to a mass die-off of Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) in Brazil. Southern right whales (SRWs; Eubalaena australis) migrate to the southern Brazilian coast during austral winter and spring (June through November) for breeding and calving. Because unexplained high calf mortality rates have recurrently been documented in SRWs, we hypothesized they could be infected with CeMV. We developed a novel real-time RT-PCR method based on SYBR® GREEN for detection of CeMV and identified the virus in three out of five stranded SRWs from Santa Catarina state, Brazil. The partial sequences of the morbillivirus phosphoprotein gene suggest that the virus is similar to the GD-CeMV strain. Our results indicate CeMV can infect SRWs and should be considered in the differential aetiologic diagnosis of infectious diseases in this species. It also raises concern for potential conservation implications for this species in its main coastal breeding area off Southern Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Karina R Groch
- Instituto Australis/Projeto Baleia Franca, Imbituba, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Eva Sierra
- Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Antonio Fernandez
- Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
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16
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Díaz-Delgado J, Fernández A, Sierra E, Sacchini S, Andrada M, Vela AI, Quesada-Canales Ó, Paz Y, Zucca D, Groch K, Arbelo M. Pathologic findings and causes of death of stranded cetaceans in the Canary Islands (2006-2012). PLoS One 2018; 13:e0204444. [PMID: 30289951 PMCID: PMC6173391 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 09/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
This study describes the pathologic findings and most probable causes of death (CD) of 224 cetaceans stranded along the coastline of the Canary Islands (Spain) over a 7-year period, 2006-2012. Most probable CD, grouped as pathologic categories (PCs), was identified in 208/224 (92.8%) examined animals. Within natural PCs, those associated with good nutritional status represented 70/208 (33.6%), whereas, those associated with significant loss of nutritional status represented 49/208 (23.5%). Fatal intra- and interspecific traumatic interactions were 37/208 (17.8%). Vessel collisions included 24/208 (11.5%). Neonatal/perinatal pathology involved 13/208 (6.2%). Fatal interaction with fishing activities comprised 10/208 (4.8%). Within anthropogenic PCs, foreign body-associated pathology represented 5/208 (2.4%). A CD could not be determined in 16/208 (7.7%) cases. Natural PCs were dominated by infectious and parasitic disease processes. Herein, our results suggest that between 2006 and 2012, in the Canary Islands, direct human activity appeared responsible for 19% of cetaceans deaths, while natural pathologies accounted for 81%. These results, integrating novel findings and published reports, aid in delineating baseline knowledge on cetacean pathology and may be of value to rehabilitators, caregivers, diagnosticians and future conservation policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josué Díaz-Delgado
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Hygiene (IUSA), University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, Spain
- Wildlife Comparative Pathology Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Antonio Fernández
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Hygiene (IUSA), University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Eva Sierra
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Hygiene (IUSA), University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Simona Sacchini
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Hygiene (IUSA), University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Marisa Andrada
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Hygiene (IUSA), University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Ana Isabel Vela
- Department of Animal Health, Veterinary College, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET). Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Óscar Quesada-Canales
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Hygiene (IUSA), University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Yania Paz
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Hygiene (IUSA), University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Daniele Zucca
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Hygiene (IUSA), University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Kátia Groch
- Wildlife Comparative Pathology Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Manuel Arbelo
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Hygiene (IUSA), University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, Spain
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17
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Groch KR, Díaz-Delgado J, Sacristán C, Oliveira DE, Souza G, Sánchez-Sarmiento AM, Costa-Silva S, Marigo J, Castilho PV, Cremer MJ, Rodrigues Hoffmann A, Esperón F, Catão-Dias JL. Pulmonary and systemic fungal infections in an Atlantic spotted dolphin and a Bryde's whale, Brazil. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2018; 128:73-79. [PMID: 29565255 DOI: 10.3354/dao03207] [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
We report the gross and microscopic findings and molecular identification of 2 cases of hyphate fungal infection in cetaceans from Brazil. The first case involved an adult male Atlantic spotted dolphin Stenella frontalis with localized pulmonary disease characterized by pyogranulomatous and necrotizing bronchopneumonia with intralesional hyphae. The second case involved an adult male Bryde's whale Balaenoptera edeni with orchitis, periorchitis, mesenteric lymphadenitis and pyogranulomatous bronchopneumonia with intralesional hyphae. PCR analysis from the dolphin's lung yielded Aspergillus fumigatus, and the fungus from the whale's mesenteric lymph node showed the greatest identity to Nanniziopsis obscura and Stagonosporopsis cucurbitacearum These cases represent the first reports of pulmonary aspergillosis by A. fumigatus in an Atlantic spotted dolphin and systemic mycosis by a possibly novel Onygenales in marine mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kátia R Groch
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP 05508-270, Brazil
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18
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Abstract
This chapter presents the pathology of cetaceans, a diverse group of mammals restricted exclusively to aquatic habitats. The taxa include the largest mammals on earth, the baleen whales, as well as marine and freshwater toothed whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Pathologies of these species include infectious, toxic, and other disease processes, such as ship strike and entanglements in free-ranging animals. In animals under managed care, concerns include nutritional, degenerative and geriatric processes, such as formation of ammonium urate renal calculi. Due to potential population level effects and individual animal health concerns, viral agents of interest include morbilliviruses, pox virus, and herpes viruses. Both free ranging and captive animals have important neoplasms, including a variety of toxin-related tumors in beluga whales from the St. Lawrence Estuary and oral squamous cell carcinomas in bottlenose dolphins in managed care.
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19
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Fernández Ajó AA, Hunt KE, Uhart M, Rowntree V, Sironi M, Marón CF, Di Martino M, Buck CL. Lifetime glucocorticoid profiles in baleen of right whale calves: potential relationships to chronic stress of repeated wounding by Kelp Gulls. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 6:coy045. [PMID: 30151197 PMCID: PMC6101610 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coy045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2018] [Revised: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Baleen tissue accumulates stress hormones (glucocorticoids, GC) as it grows, along with other adrenal, gonadal and thyroid hormones. The hormones are deposited in a linear fashion such that a single plate of baleen allows retrospective assessment and evaluation of long-term trends in the whales' physiological condition. In whale calves, a single piece of baleen contains hormones deposited across the lifespan of the animal, with the tip of the baleen representing prenatally grown baleen. This suggests that baleen recovered from stranded carcasses of whale calves could be used to examine lifetime patterns of stress physiology. Here we report lifetime profiles of cortisol and corticosterone in baleen of a North Atlantic right whale ('NARW'-Eubalaena glacialis) calf that died from a vessel strike, as well as four southern right whale ('SRW'-Eubalaena australis) calves that were found dead with varying severity of chronic wounding from Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) attacks. In all five calves, prenatally grown baleen exhibited a distinctive profile of elevated glucocorticoids that declined shortly before birth, similar to GC profiles reported from baleen of pregnant females. After birth, GC profiles in calf baleen corresponded with the degree of wounding. The NARW calf and two SRW calves with no or few gull wounds had relatively low and constant GC content throughout life, while two SRW calves with high numbers of gull wounds had pronounced elevations in baleen GC content in postnatal baleen followed by a precipitous decline shortly before death, a profile suggestive of prolonged chronic stress. Baleen samples may present a promising and valuable tool for defining the baseline physiology of whale calves and may prove useful for addressing conservation-relevant questions such as distinguishing acute from chronic stress and, potentially, determining cause of death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro A Fernández Ajó
- Center for Bioengineering Innovation, Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., Flagstaff, AZ, USA
- Instituto de Conservación de Ballenas, Capital Federal, O’Higgins 4380, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Corresponding author: Biological Sciences & Center for Bioengineering Innovation, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA.
| | - Kathleen E Hunt
- Center for Bioengineering Innovation, Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Marcela Uhart
- Southern Right Whale Health Monitoring Program, Los Alerces 3376, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive Ground Floor West, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Victoria Rowntree
- Southern Right Whale Health Monitoring Program, Los Alerces 3376, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, 257 South 1400 East University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Ocean Alliance/Whale Conservation Institute, 32 Horton St, Gloucester, MA, USA
| | - Mariano Sironi
- Instituto de Conservación de Ballenas, Capital Federal, O’Higgins 4380, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Southern Right Whale Health Monitoring Program, Los Alerces 3376, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
- Diversidad Biológica IV, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Av. Vélez Sársfield 299, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Carina F Marón
- Instituto de Conservación de Ballenas, Capital Federal, O’Higgins 4380, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Diversidad Biológica IV, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Av. Vélez Sársfield 299, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Matias Di Martino
- Southern Right Whale Health Monitoring Program, Los Alerces 3376, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
| | - C Loren Buck
- Center for Bioengineering Innovation, Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., Flagstaff, AZ, USA
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20
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Sánchez-Sarmiento AM, Carvalho VL, Sacristán C, Groch KR, Ressio RA, Fernandes NCCA, Guerra JM, Costa-Silva S, Díaz-Delgado J, Favero CM, Silva NS, Ferreira Neto JS, Meirelles ACO, Catão-Dias JL. Brucellosis in a Clymene dolphin (Stenella clymene) stranded in Brazil. Transbound Emerg Dis 2017; 65:289-291. [PMID: 28816014 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.12696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A M Sánchez-Sarmiento
- Laboratório de Patologia Comparada de Animais Selvagens, Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - V L Carvalho
- Associação de Pesquisa e Preservação de Ecossistemas Aquáticos-AQUASIS, Caucaia, Ceará, Brazil
| | - C Sacristán
- Laboratório de Patologia Comparada de Animais Selvagens, Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - K R Groch
- Laboratório de Patologia Comparada de Animais Selvagens, Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - R A Ressio
- Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - J M Guerra
- Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - S Costa-Silva
- Laboratório de Patologia Comparada de Animais Selvagens, Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - J Díaz-Delgado
- Laboratório de Patologia Comparada de Animais Selvagens, Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - C M Favero
- Laboratório de Patologia Comparada de Animais Selvagens, Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - N S Silva
- Laboratório de Zoonoses Bacterianas, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - J S Ferreira Neto
- Laboratório de Zoonoses Bacterianas, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - A C O Meirelles
- Associação de Pesquisa e Preservação de Ecossistemas Aquáticos-AQUASIS, Caucaia, Ceará, Brazil
| | - J L Catão-Dias
- Laboratório de Patologia Comparada de Animais Selvagens, Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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21
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Seguel M, Muñoz F, Montalva F, Perez-Venegas D, Pavés H, Gottdenker N. Kelp and dolphin gulls cause perineal wounds in South American fur seal pups ( Arctocephalus australis) at Guafo Island, Chilean Patagonia. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017; 4:170638. [PMID: 28791178 PMCID: PMC5541573 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.170638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Accepted: 06/27/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
During five reproductive seasons, we documented the presence, extent and origin of perineal wounds in South American fur seal pups (Arctocephalus australis) on Guafo Island, Northern Chilean Patagonia. The seasonal prevalence of perineal wounds ranged from 5 to 9%, and new cases were more common at the end of the breeding season (February), when pups were on average two months old and were actively expelling hookworms (Uncinaria sp). Histologically, wounds corresponded to marked ulcerative lymphoplasmacytic and histiocytic dermatitis with granulation tissue and mixed bacterial colonies. In 2015 and 2017, kelp gulls (Larus dominicanus) and dolphin gulls (Leucophaeus scoresbii) were observed picking and wounding the perineal area of marked pups. This behaviour occurred more frequently after the pups' defecation, when sea gulls engaged in consumption of pups' faeces. The affected pups usually had moderate to marked hookworm infections along with bloody diarrhoea and anaemia. Pups with severe wounds (23% of affected animals) had swollen perineal areas and signs of secondary systemic bacterial infection. We propose that seagulls on Guafo Island have learned to consume remains of blood and parasites in the faeces of pups affected by hookworm infection, causing perineal wounds during this process. We conclude that this perineal wounding is an unintentional, occasional negative effect of an otherwise commensal gull-fur seal relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio Seguel
- Department of Pathology, University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Francisco Muñoz
- Instituto de Patología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Felipe Montalva
- Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Biología Marina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Diego Perez-Venegas
- Conservation Medicine Program and Departamento de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Andres Bello, 252 Republica St., Santiago, Chile
| | - Héctor Pavés
- Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Santo Tomas, Los Carrera 753, Osorno, Chile
| | - Nicole Gottdenker
- Department of Pathology, University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, GA, USA
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22
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Eroh GD, Clayton FC, Florell SR, Cassidy PB, Chirife A, Marón CF, Valenzuela LO, Campbell MS, Seger J, Rowntree VJ, Leachman SA. Cellular and ultrastructural characterization of the grey-morph phenotype in southern right whales (Eubalaena australis). PLoS One 2017; 12:e0171449. [PMID: 28170433 PMCID: PMC5295704 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0171449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2016] [Accepted: 01/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Southern right whales (SRWs, Eubalena australis) are polymorphic for an X-linked pigmentation pattern known as grey morphism. Most SRWs have completely black skin with white patches on their bellies and occasionally on their backs; these patches remain white as the whale ages. Grey morphs (previously referred to as partial albinos) appear mostly white at birth, with a splattering of rounded black marks; but as the whales age, the white skin gradually changes to a brownish grey color. The cellular and developmental bases of grey morphism are not understood. Here we describe cellular and ultrastructural features of grey-morph skin in relation to that of normal, wild-type skin. Melanocytes were identified histologically and counted, and melanosomes were measured using transmission electron microscopy. Grey-morph skin had fewer melanocytes when compared to wild-type skin, suggesting reduced melanocyte survival, migration, or proliferation in these whales. Grey-morph melanocytes had smaller melanosomes relative to wild-type skin, normal transport of melanosomes to surrounding keratinocytes, and normal localization of melanin granules above the keratinocyte nuclei. These findings indicate that SRW grey-morph pigmentation patterns are caused by reduced numbers of melanocytes in the skin, as well as by reduced amounts of melanin production and/or reduced sizes of mature melanosomes. Grey morphism is distinct from piebaldism and albinism found in other species, which are genetic pigmentation conditions resulting from the local absence of melanocytes, or the inability to synthesize melanin, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guy D. Eroh
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
- University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Fred C. Clayton
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Scott R. Florell
- Department of Dermatology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Pamela B. Cassidy
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
- Department of Dermatology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Andrea Chirife
- Programa de Monitoreo Sanitario Ballena Franca Austral, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
| | - Carina F. Marón
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
- Instituto de Conservación de Ballenas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Luciano O. Valenzuela
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Michael S. Campbell
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, United States of America
| | - Jon Seger
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Victoria J. Rowntree
- Programa de Monitoreo Sanitario Ballena Franca Austral, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
- Instituto de Conservación de Ballenas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Ocean Alliance/Whale Conservation Institute, Gloucester, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Sancy A. Leachman
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
- Department of Dermatology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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