1
|
Pujol J, Jalenques M, Lair S, Farley J, Vergneau-Grosset C. OCCURRENCE OF GERM CELL NEOPLASIA IN MALE STRIPED BASS ( MORONE SAXATILIS) UNDER HUMAN CARE IN A PUBLIC AQUARIUM: SURGICAL TREATMENT AND OUTCOME. J Zoo Wildl Med 2024; 55:248-255. [PMID: 38453509 DOI: 10.1638/2022-0174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The striped bass (Morone saxatilis) has been a fish species of special concern in Canada since its marked decline in the early 21st century in the St. Lawrence River. Individuals kept in public aquaria contribute to public education and could support conservation efforts through research. Over a 3-yr period, 12 male striped bass housed in a multispecies exhibit developed coelomic distension. The testes were enlarged (12/12), cystic (2/12), and heterogeneous (3/12) on coelomic ultrasound. Upon coeliotomy, enlarged (12/12), partially (4/12) or totally white discolored (6/12) testes were noted. These were associated with coelomic hemorrhage (8/12), effusion (3/12) or adhesions to surrounding organs (9/12). Orchiectomies were performed in all fish. Among these, seven fish survived 2 mon postsurgery, and four fish were still alive 900 d postsurgery. Germ cell neoplasia was diagnosed on histopathological examination in 9 of 12 individuals, but no abnormalities were found in the three other cases. Preventive orchiectomies were performed on the remaining six male striped bass in this exhibit. Germ cell neoplasms were present in two of these six fish. No anesthetic or surgical complications were noted; all six cases were alive 2 mon postsurgery and four of the fish survived 900 d postsurgery. Survival times were not significantly different between fish that underwent preventive or curative orchiectomy (P = 0.19). Although risk factors associated with the development of these gonadal tumors remain unknown, a genetic or environmental origin is suspected. Orchiectomy should be considered in suspected cases of testicular tumors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julie Pujol
- Département de sciences cliniques, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Marion Jalenques
- Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages/Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Stéphane Lair
- Département de sciences cliniques, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
- Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages/Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
| | | | - Claire Vergneau-Grosset
- Département de sciences cliniques, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada,
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Vergneau-Grosset C, Pujol J, Rubin B, Romano Noriega J, Gara-Boivin C, Chorfi Y, Ferrell S, Lair S. Early decrease of ionized calcium and static symmetric dimethylarginine concentration in a model of renal tubular necrosis in corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus). Am J Vet Res 2024; 85:ajvr.23.09.0204. [PMID: 38029521 DOI: 10.2460/ajvr.23.09.0204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine if plasma concentrations of symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA), N-acetyl-beta-d-glucosaminidase (NAG), GGT, ALT, AST, lactate, total calcium, and ionized calcium (iCa) and the calcium:phosphorus ratio are clinically relevant biomarkers to detect early stages of tubular lesions in snakes. ANIMALS 6 adult corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus). METHODS Corn snakes were administered 11 injections of gentamicin at 50 mg/kg, SC, q 24 h in an experimental model of induced tubular necrosis. Plasma biochemistry and blood gas analyses were performed at baseline and after the 3rd and 11th injections. Parameters were compared between time points using a paired Wilcoxon test. In 3 individuals, renal biopsies were collected at baseline before starting injections and at the 3rd and 11th injections, while renal tissue samples were procured after euthanasia in all individuals. RESULTS Renal proximal and distal tubular necrosis and hepatic steatosis were present in all individuals at necropsy. Compared to baseline, decreased blood concentrations of lactate, ionized calcium, and total calcium and a decreased calcium:phosphorus ratio were noted. A significant decrease of lactate and ionized calcium was observed after 3 days. Conversely, no changes in SDMA, NAG, ALT, AST, GGT, and sodium were detected. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Ionized calcium and lactate concentrations were the earliest parameters to decrease compared to baseline values in this experimental model. While SDMA is a sensitive indicator of renal disease in mammals, this biomarker did not increase in a model of induced acute tubular necrosis in corn snakes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Claire Vergneau-Grosset
- Département de Sciences Cliniques, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - Julie Pujol
- Département de Sciences Cliniques, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - Bastien Rubin
- Département de Sciences Cliniques, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - Jacobo Romano Noriega
- Département de Sciences Cliniques, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - Carolyn Gara-Boivin
- Département de Pathologie et Microbiologie, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - Younes Chorfi
- Département de Biomédecine, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - Shannon Ferrell
- Département de Pathologie et Microbiologie, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - Stéphane Lair
- Département de Sciences Cliniques, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Béland K, Rousseau C, Lair S. Diet-induced nephrocalcinosis in aquarium-raised juvenile spotted wolffish Anarhichas minor. Dis Aquat Organ 2024; 157:19-30. [PMID: 38236079 DOI: 10.3354/dao03769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Wolffish are regularly housed in aquaria, but little data on their husbandry and health is available for caretakers. High occurrence rates of nephrocalcinosis and urolithiasis have been observed in Atlantic Anarhichas lupus and spotted A. minor wolffish housed at 2 Canadian zoological institutions. To explore the effect of diet on nephrocalcinosis and urolithiasis development, a 16 mo prospective study was conducted. A total of 32 juvenile spotted wolffish were randomly assigned to one of 4 experimental groups fed exclusively with the following diet: (1) Skretting® Europa 18 pellets; (2) Mazuri® LS Aquatic Carni-Blend Diet Formula; (3) vitamin-supplemented fish-based diet, and (4) vitamin-supplemented invertebrate-based diet. Urinalysis, radiographs, and complete necropsies were performed at the end of the study. None of the wolffish developed uroliths during the study period. All specimens fed with the fish-based and invertebrate-based diets developed nephrocalcinosis, whereas this condition was seen in 12.5 and 0% of the fish in the Skretting® and Mazuri® groups, respectively. Affected wolffish often presented with oxalate crystalluria and increased radiodensity of the posterior kidneys. Urinalysis and radiographic study were considered useful in the antemortem diagnosis of nephrocalcinosis. None of the previously published risk factors for the development of nephrocalcinosis in fish were supported by the results of this study. However, nutritional analyses of the 4 diets suggest that high dietary levels of gelatin or vitamin C or low levels of vitamin E could be potential risk factors for the development of nephrocalcinosis in spotted wolffish and thus warrant further study.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karine Béland
- Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages/Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 2M2, Canada
| | | | - Stéphane Lair
- Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages/Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 2M2, Canada
- Sépaq, Aquarium du Québec, Quebec City, Quebec G1W 4S3, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Jakobek BT, Berhane Y, Nadeau MS, Embury-Hyatt C, Lung O, Xu W, Lair S. Influenza A(H5N1) Virus Infections in 2 Free-Ranging Black Bears (Ursus americanus), Quebec, Canada. Emerg Infect Dis 2023; 29:2145-2149. [PMID: 37735770 PMCID: PMC10521626 DOI: 10.3201/eid2910.230548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Wholly Eurasian highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b virus was isolated from 2 free-ranging black bears with meningoencephalitis in Quebec, Canada. We found that isolates from both animals had the D701N mutation in the polymerase basic 2 gene, previously known to promote adaptation of H5N1 viruses to mammal hosts.
Collapse
|
5
|
Renaud LA, Bordeleau X, Kellar NM, Pigeon G, Michaud R, Morin Y, Lair S, Therien A, Lesage V. Estimating pregnancy rate from blubber progesterone levels of a blindly biopsied beluga population poses methodological, analytical and statistical challenges. Conserv Physiol 2023; 11:coad075. [PMID: 37771677 PMCID: PMC10533324 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coad075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) from the St. Lawrence Estuary, Canada, have been declining since the early 2000s, suggesting recruitment issues as a result of low fecundity, abnormal abortion rates or poor calf or juvenile survival. Pregnancy is difficult to observe in cetaceans, making the ground truthing of pregnancy estimates in wild individuals challenging. Blubber progesterone concentrations were contrasted among 62 SLE beluga with a known reproductive state (i.e. pregnant, resting, parturient and lactating females), that were found dead in 1997 to 2019. The suitability of a threshold obtained from decaying carcasses to assess reproductive state and pregnancy rate of freshly-dead or free-ranging and blindly-sampled beluga was examined using three statistical approaches and two data sets (135 freshly harvested carcasses in Nunavik, and 65 biopsy-sampled SLE beluga). Progesterone concentrations in decaying carcasses were considerably higher in known-pregnant (mean ± sd: 365 ± 244 ng g-1 of tissue) than resting (3.1 ± 4.5 ng g-1 of tissue) or lactating (38.4 ± 100 ng g-1 of tissue) females. An approach based on statistical mixtures of distributions and a logistic regression were compared to the commonly-used, fixed threshold approach (here, 100 ng g-1) for discriminating pregnant from non-pregnant females. The error rate for classifying individuals of known reproductive status was the lowest for the fixed threshold and logistic regression approaches, but the mixture approach required limited a priori knowledge for clustering individuals of unknown pregnancy status. Mismatches in assignations occurred at lipid content < 10% of sample weight. Our results emphasize the importance of reporting lipid contents and progesterone concentrations in both units (ng g-1 of tissue and ng g-1 of lipid) when sample mass is low. By highlighting ways to circumvent potential biases in field sampling associated with capturability of different segments of a population, this study also enhances the usefulness of the technique for estimating pregnancy rate of free-ranging population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L -A Renaud
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice Lamontagne Institute, P.O. Box 1000, 850 Route de la Mer, Mont-Joli, Québec, G5H 3Z4, Canada
| | - X Bordeleau
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice Lamontagne Institute, P.O. Box 1000, 850 Route de la Mer, Mont-Joli, Québec, G5H 3Z4, Canada
| | - N M Kellar
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, P.O. Box 271, La Jolla, California 92038, USA
| | - G Pigeon
- Institut de recherche sur les forêts, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Rouyn-Noranda, Québec, J9X 5E4, Canada
| | - R Michaud
- Groupe de recherche et d’éducation sur les mammifères marins (GREMM), 108 de la Cale-Sèche, Tadoussac, Québec, G0T 2A0, Canada
| | - Y Morin
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice Lamontagne Institute, P.O. Box 1000, 850 Route de la Mer, Mont-Joli, Québec, G5H 3Z4, Canada
| | - S Lair
- Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, P.O. Box 5000, 3200 Rue Sicotte, St-Hyacinthe, Québec, J2S 7C6, Canada
| | - A Therien
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice Lamontagne Institute, P.O. Box 1000, 850 Route de la Mer, Mont-Joli, Québec, G5H 3Z4, Canada
| | - V Lesage
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice Lamontagne Institute, P.O. Box 1000, 850 Route de la Mer, Mont-Joli, Québec, G5H 3Z4, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Nielsen O, Rodrigues TCS, Marcoux M, Béland K, Subramaniam K, Lair S, Hussey NE, Waltzek TB. Alphaherpesvirus infection in a free-ranging narwhal Monodon monoceros from Arctic Canada. Dis Aquat Organ 2023; 154:131-139. [PMID: 37410432 DOI: 10.3354/dao03732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
We report the detection of an alphaherpesvirus infecting an adult female narwhal Monodon monoceros captured live during a tagging project in Tremblay Sound, Nunavut, Canada, in August 2018. The individual had 2 open wounds on the dorsum but appeared in good overall health. A blowhole swab was collected, and subsequent virus isolation was performed using a beluga whale primary cell line. Non-syncytial cytopathic effects were seen, in contrast to syncytial cytopathic effects described for monodontid alphaherpesvirus 1 (MoAHV1) isolates previously recovered from beluga whales Delphinapterus leucas from Alaska, USA, and the Northwest Territories, Canada. Next-generation sequencing was performed on a sequencing library generated from the DNA of the viral isolate and the analysis of the assembled contigs permitted the recovery of 6 genes, conserved in all members of the family Orthoherpesviridae, for downstream genetic and phylogenetic analyses. BLASTN (basic local alignment search tool, searching nucleotide databases using a nucleotide query) analyses of the narwhal herpesvirus conserved genes showed the highest nucleotide identities to MoAHV1, ranging between 88.5 and 96.8%. A maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis based on concatenation of the 6 conserved herpesviruses amino acid alignments revealed the narwhal herpesvirus (NHV) to be the closest relative to MoAHV1, forming a clade within the subfamily Alphaherpesvirinae, genus Varicellovirus. NHV is the first alphaherpesvirus characterized from a narwhal and represents a new viral species, which we propose to be known as Varicellovirus monodontidalpha2. Further research is needed to determine the prevalence and potential clinical impacts of this alphaherpesvirus infection in narwhals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ole Nielsen
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N6, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Lair S, Bourguelat G, Fournier G. Comparison of two ratios of xylazine:ketamine for the anesthesia of free-ranging North American beavers (Castor canadensis) in a remote setting. Can J Vet Res 2023; 87:224-230. [PMID: 37397631 PMCID: PMC10291699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare 2 different xylazine:ketamine combination anesthetic protocols in free-ranging beavers (Castor canadensis). Twenty-two beavers (weighing 2.5 to 18.5 kg) were equally assigned to one of the following protocols: 1:10 xylazine:ketamine ratio and 3:10 xylazine:ketamine ratio. Using standard metabolic scaling, the following ranges of dosages were calculated and used: for the 1:10 xylazine:ketamine group 1.08 to 2.25 mg/kg (median = 1.2 mg/kg) of xylazine + 10.8 to 22.5 mg/kg (median = 12 mg/kg) of ketamine IM; andfor the 3:10 xylazine:ketamine group 2.04 to 3.67 mg/kg (median = 2.7 mg/kg) of xylazine + 6.81 to 12.25 mg/kg (median = 8.8 mg/kg) ketamine IM. Measured cardiorespiratory parameters and anesthetic event intervals were compared between protocols. Both protocols rapidly induced levels of anesthesia adequate for minimally invasive procedures of short duration. Durations of immobility ranged from 15 to 35 min and were not significantly different between the protocols (P = 0.64). Recovery phases, following the IM administration of 0.2 mg/kg of atipamezole 30 to 65 min post-induction, were usually faster with the 3:10 xylazine:ketamine protocol, but this was not statistically significant (P = 0.40). Heart rates were significantly lower with the 3:10 xylazine:ketamine protocol (P = 0.0002). PETCO2 values, measured with a nasal cannula, were similar between protocols and suggestive of hypoventilation. Despite the fact that the 3:10 xylazine:ketamine protocol was associated with a greater cardiac depression, the apparent, even if not statistically significant, faster recovery time with that protocol is definitively an asset for projects occurring in remote locations relying on helicopter transportation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stéphane Lair
- Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages/Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 7C6, Canada (Lair); Service canadien de la faune/Canadian Wildlife Service - Québec Region, Environment and Climate Change Canada/Government of Canada, 801-1550, avenue D'Estimauville, Québec, Québec G1J 0C3, Canada (Bourguelat); Service de la gestion des espèces et des habitats terrestres, Direction générale de la gestion de la faune et des habitats, Ministère de l'Environnement de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs, 880, chemin Sainte-Foy, 2
| | - Gregory Bourguelat
- Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages/Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 7C6, Canada (Lair); Service canadien de la faune/Canadian Wildlife Service - Québec Region, Environment and Climate Change Canada/Government of Canada, 801-1550, avenue D'Estimauville, Québec, Québec G1J 0C3, Canada (Bourguelat); Service de la gestion des espèces et des habitats terrestres, Direction générale de la gestion de la faune et des habitats, Ministère de l'Environnement de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs, 880, chemin Sainte-Foy, 2
| | - Gaétan Fournier
- Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages/Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 7C6, Canada (Lair); Service canadien de la faune/Canadian Wildlife Service - Québec Region, Environment and Climate Change Canada/Government of Canada, 801-1550, avenue D'Estimauville, Québec, Québec G1J 0C3, Canada (Bourguelat); Service de la gestion des espèces et des habitats terrestres, Direction générale de la gestion de la faune et des habitats, Ministère de l'Environnement de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs, 880, chemin Sainte-Foy, 2
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Simond AÉ, Ross PS, Cabrol J, Lesage V, Lair S, Woudneh MB, Yang D, Peng H, Colbourne K, Brown TM. Declining concentrations of chlorinated paraffins in endangered St. Lawrence Estuary belugas (Delphinapterus leucas): Response to regulations or a change in diet? Sci Total Environ 2023; 868:161488. [PMID: 36626992 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Very high levels of industrial contaminants in St. Lawrence Estuary (SLE) beluga whales represent one of the major threats to this population classified as endangered under the Species at Risk Act in Canada. Elevated concentrations of short-chained chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) were recently reported in blubber of adult male SLE belugas. Recent regulations for SCCPs in North America, combined with their replacement by medium- (MCCPs) and long-chained chlorinated paraffins (LCCPs), highlight the importance of tracking this toxic chemical class. The objectives of this study were to evaluate (1) levels and profiles of chlorinated paraffins (CPs) in samples obtained from carcasses of adult male, adult female, juvenile, newborn, and fetus beluga, and (2) trends in adult male belugas between 1997 and 2018. Factors potentially influencing CP temporal trends such as age, feeding ecology and sampling year were also explored. SCCPs dominated (64 to 100%) total CP concentrations across all age and sex classes, MCCPs accounted for the remaining proportion of total CPs, and LCCPs were not detected in any sample. The chlorinated paraffin homolog that dominated the most in beluga blubber was C12Cl8. Adult male SCCP concentrations from this study were considerably lower (> 2000-fold) than those recently reported in Simond et al. (2020), likely reflecting a previously erroneous overestimate due to the lack of a suitable analytical method for SCCPs at the time. Both SCCPs and total CPs declined over time in adult males in our study (rate of 1.67 and 1.33% per year, respectively), presumably due in part to the implementation of regulations in 2012. However, there is a need to better understand the possible contribution of a changing diet to contaminant exposure, as stable isotopic ratios of carbon also changed over time.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antoine É Simond
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Science Enterprise Center, 4160 Marine Drive, West Vancouver, BC V7V 1N6, Canada; Simon Fraser University, Pacific Science Enterprise Centre, 4160 Marine Drive, West Vancouver, BC V7V 1N6, Canada.
| | - Peter S Ross
- Raincoast Conservation Foundation, W̱SÁNEĆ Territory, P.O. Box 2429, Sidney, BC V8L 3Y3, Canada.
| | - Jory Cabrol
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice Lamontagne Institute, P.O. Box 1000, 850 Route de la Mer, Mont-Joli, QC G5H 3Z4, Canada.
| | - Véronique Lesage
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice Lamontagne Institute, P.O. Box 1000, 850 Route de la Mer, Mont-Joli, QC G5H 3Z4, Canada.
| | - Stéphane Lair
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, St Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada.
| | - Million B Woudneh
- SGS AXYS Analytical Services Ltd., 2045 Mills Road West, Sydney, BC V8L 5X2, Canada.
| | - Diwen Yang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H6, Canada.
| | - Hui Peng
- School of the Environment, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H6, Canada; School of the Environment, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H6, Canada.
| | - Katerina Colbourne
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Science Enterprise Center, 4160 Marine Drive, West Vancouver, BC V7V 1N6, Canada.
| | - Tanya M Brown
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Science Enterprise Center, 4160 Marine Drive, West Vancouver, BC V7V 1N6, Canada; Simon Fraser University, Pacific Science Enterprise Centre, 4160 Marine Drive, West Vancouver, BC V7V 1N6, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Béland K, Lair S, Guay M, Juette T, Bédard C, Black SR, Marcoux M, Watt CA, Hussey NE, Desmarchelier M. VALIDATION OF ENZYME-LINKED IMMUNOSORBENT ASSAY TECHNIQUES TO MEASURE SERUM DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE (DHEA) AND DHEA-S IN NARWHALS ( MONODON MONOCEROS). J Zoo Wildl Med 2023; 54:119-130. [PMID: 36971636 DOI: 10.1638/2022-0049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Narwhals (Monodon monoceros) are increasingly exposed to anthropogenic disturbances that may increase their stress levels with unknown consequences for the overall population dynamics. The validation and measurement of chronic stress biomarkers could contribute toward improved understanding and conservation efforts for this species. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfated metabolite DHEA-S are collectively referred to as DHEA(S). Serum DHEA(S) concentrations combined in ratios with cortisol [cortisol/DHEA(S)] have been shown to be promising indicators of chronic stress in humans, domestic animals, and wildlife. During field tagging in 2017 and 2018 in Baffin Bay, Nunavut, Canada, 14 wild narwhals were sampled at the beginning and end of the capture-tagging procedures. Serum DHEA(S) were measured with commercially available competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) developed for humans. A partial validation of the ELISA assays was performed by the determination of the intra-assay coefficient of variation, confirmation of the DHEA(S) dilutional linearity, and the calculation of the percentage of recovery. Mean values (nanograms per milliliter ± standard error of the mean) of narwhal serum cortisol, DHEA(S), and cortisol/DHEA(S) ratios, at the beginning and at the end of handling, respectively, are reported (cortisol = 30.74 ± 4.87 and 41.83 ± 4.83; DHEA = 1.01 ± 0.52 and 0.99 ± 0.50; DHEA-S = 8.72 ± 1.68 and 7.70 ± 1.02; cortisol/DHEA = 75.43 ± 24.35 and 84.41 ± 11.76, and cortisol/DHEA-S = 4.16 ± 1.07 and 6.14 ± 1.00). Serum cortisol and cortisol/DHEA-S were statistically higher at the end of the capture (P= 0.024 and P= 0.035, respectively). Moreover, serum cortisol at the end of handling was positively correlated to total body length (P = 0.042) and tended to be higher in males (P = 0.086). These assays proved easy to perform, rapid, and suitable for measuring serum DHEA(S) of narwhals and that calculated cortisol/DHEA(S) are potential biomarkers for chronic stress in narwhals and possibly other cetaceans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karine Béland
- Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, QC J2S 7C6, Canada
| | - Stéphane Lair
- Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, QC J2S 7C6, Canada
| | - Mario Guay
- Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, QC J2S 7C6, Canada
| | - Tristan Juette
- Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, QC J2S 7C6, Canada
| | - Christian Bédard
- Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, QC J2S 7C6, Canada
| | - Sandra R Black
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - Marianne Marcoux
- Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N6, Canada
| | - Cortney A Watt
- Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N6, Canada
| | - Nigel E Hussey
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - Marion Desmarchelier
- Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, QC J2S 7C6, Canada,
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Lamglait B, Moresco A, Couture ÉL, Ferrell ST, Lair S. Vaginal foreign bodies in six nonhuman primates with underlying pathological conditions. Zoo Biol 2022; 41:595-600. [PMID: 35253920 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2021] [Revised: 12/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Four female Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) from the same group as well as Wolf's guenon (Cercopithecus wolfi) and a Western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) from a second institution presented with vaginal foreign bodies in parallel with diseases of the urogenital tract or with endocrine disorders. These foreign bodies were associated with a mild to marked, diffuse vaginitis in all cases. Underlying pathological conditions consisted of a cavernous uterine hemangioma in a 20-year-old macaque, diffuse endometritis in a 21-year-old macaque, an in situ endometrial carcinoma in a 24-year-old macaque, endometritis and an ovarian cyst-like structure in the 27-year-old Western lowland gorilla, chronic cystitis and chronic renal disease in a 24-year-old macaque, and a history of hypothyroidism with irregular reproductive cycles in the 12-year-old Wolf's guenon. Vaginal foreign bodies have been reported in nonhuman primates used in biomedical research, but their concurrence with underlying conditions has not been explored. In women, vaginal foreign bodies have been linked to serious underlying medical conditions. This case series emphasizes the recommendation to investigate this abnormal behavior for underlying medical or adverse psychosocial conditions in primates under human care.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Lamglait
- Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages/Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal St. Hyacinthe, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
| | - Anneke Moresco
- Denver Zoo, Denver, Colorado, USA.,Reproductive Health Surveillance Program, Morrison, Colorado, USA
| | | | | | - Stéphane Lair
- Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages/Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal St. Hyacinthe, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Blouin K, Malaisé F, Verreault J, Lair S, Lu Z. Occurrence and temporal trends of industrial antioxidants and UV absorbents in the endangered St. Lawrence Estuary beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas). Sci Total Environ 2022; 842:156635. [PMID: 35697212 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Elevated contaminant exposure has been identified as a stressor that has negative impacts on the health and recovery of the endangered St. Lawrence Estuary (SLE) beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) population. However, the accumulation of many groups of contaminants of emerging concern is still unknown in the SLE beluga. The objective of this study was to investigate the occurrence and temporal trends (2000-2017) of synthetic phenolic antioxidants (SPAs), secondary aromatic amines (Ar-SAs), benzotriazole UV stabilizers (BZT-UVs), and organic UV filters (UVFs) in the blubber (n = 69) and liver (n = 80) of SLE beluga carcasses recovered in the SLE. The SPA 2,6-di-tert-butyl-1,4-benzoquinone (BHTQ) was the most prevalent contaminant in the blubber (detection frequency: 86 %; median: 71.1 ng/g wet weight (ww)) and liver (50 %; 12.2 ng/g ww) of SLE belugas. In the blubber, 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone (BP3) (36 %; 3.15 ng/g ww) and 2-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethyl butyl)phenol (UV329) (49 %; 6.84 ng/g ww) were the most frequently detected UVFs and BZT-UVs, respectively. Ar-SAs were not detected in most of the blubber and liver samples. Blubber accumulated higher levels of BHTQ and UV329 than liver, whereas the levels of BP3 were greater in the liver. Male SLE beluga accumulated greater concentrations of UV329 in blubber compared to females. These results indicated that the accumulation of BHTQ, UV329 and BP3 in SLE belugas is tissue- and sex-specific. BHTQ showed a decreasing trend in the blubber (2000-2017) of male SLE beluga, whereas no significant trend of this contaminant was found in females. UV329 showed no discernible temporal trend. This study established a baseline for the future monitoring of SPAs, Ar-SAs, BZT-UVs and UVFs in belugas and other marine mammals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karine Blouin
- Institut des Sciences de la Mer de Rimouski, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec G5L 3A1, Canada
| | - Florentine Malaisé
- Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec G5L 3A1, Canada
| | - Jonathan Verreault
- Centre de recherche en toxicologie de l'environnement (TOXEN), Département des sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, Québec H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Stéphane Lair
- Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages/Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Département de sciences cliniques, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 7C6, Canada
| | - Zhe Lu
- Institut des Sciences de la Mer de Rimouski, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec G5L 3A1, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Coutant T, Lair S, Fitzgerald G, Perret-Thiry C, Vergneau-Grosset C. Risk Factors and Prognosis for Humeral Fractures in Birds of Prey: A Retrospective Study of 461 Cases from 2000 to 2015. J Avian Med Surg 2022; 36:2-13. [DOI: 10.1647/20-00093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
|
13
|
Aymen J, Fitzgerald G, Lair S, Vergneau-Grosset C. Outcomes of Birds of Prey with Surgical or Traumatic Wing Amputation: A Retrospective Study from 1995 to 2017. J Avian Med Surg 2022; 36:14-20. [DOI: 10.1647/20-00085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
|
14
|
Gagnon CA, Bournival V, Koszegi M, Nantel-Fortier N, St-Sauveur VG, Provost C, Lair S. Quebec: Avian pathogens identification and genomic characterization: 2021 annual review of the Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Université de Montréal. Can Vet J 2022; 63:486-490. [PMID: 35502259 PMCID: PMC9009753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Carl A Gagnon
- Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Center (CRIPA-FRQ) (Gagnon); Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory (MDL) of Centre de diagnostic vétérinaire de l'Université de Montréal (CDVUM) (Gagnon, Bournival, Koszegi, Nantel-Fortier, St-Sauveur, Provost); Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages (CQSAS)/Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (Lair); Faculté de médecine vétérinaire (FMV), Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
| | - Véronique Bournival
- Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Center (CRIPA-FRQ) (Gagnon); Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory (MDL) of Centre de diagnostic vétérinaire de l'Université de Montréal (CDVUM) (Gagnon, Bournival, Koszegi, Nantel-Fortier, St-Sauveur, Provost); Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages (CQSAS)/Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (Lair); Faculté de médecine vétérinaire (FMV), Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
| | - Marika Koszegi
- Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Center (CRIPA-FRQ) (Gagnon); Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory (MDL) of Centre de diagnostic vétérinaire de l'Université de Montréal (CDVUM) (Gagnon, Bournival, Koszegi, Nantel-Fortier, St-Sauveur, Provost); Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages (CQSAS)/Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (Lair); Faculté de médecine vétérinaire (FMV), Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
| | - Nicolas Nantel-Fortier
- Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Center (CRIPA-FRQ) (Gagnon); Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory (MDL) of Centre de diagnostic vétérinaire de l'Université de Montréal (CDVUM) (Gagnon, Bournival, Koszegi, Nantel-Fortier, St-Sauveur, Provost); Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages (CQSAS)/Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (Lair); Faculté de médecine vétérinaire (FMV), Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
| | - Valérie Grenier St-Sauveur
- Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Center (CRIPA-FRQ) (Gagnon); Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory (MDL) of Centre de diagnostic vétérinaire de l'Université de Montréal (CDVUM) (Gagnon, Bournival, Koszegi, Nantel-Fortier, St-Sauveur, Provost); Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages (CQSAS)/Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (Lair); Faculté de médecine vétérinaire (FMV), Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
| | - Chantale Provost
- Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Center (CRIPA-FRQ) (Gagnon); Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory (MDL) of Centre de diagnostic vétérinaire de l'Université de Montréal (CDVUM) (Gagnon, Bournival, Koszegi, Nantel-Fortier, St-Sauveur, Provost); Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages (CQSAS)/Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (Lair); Faculté de médecine vétérinaire (FMV), Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
| | - Stéphane Lair
- Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Center (CRIPA-FRQ) (Gagnon); Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory (MDL) of Centre de diagnostic vétérinaire de l'Université de Montréal (CDVUM) (Gagnon, Bournival, Koszegi, Nantel-Fortier, St-Sauveur, Provost); Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages (CQSAS)/Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (Lair); Faculté de médecine vétérinaire (FMV), Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Ineson KM, Hill NJ, Clark DE, MacKenzie KG, Whitney JJ, Laskaris Y, Ronconi RA, Ellis JC, Giroux JF, Lair S, Stevens S, Puryear WB, Runstadler JA. Age and season predict influenza A virus dynamics in urban gulls: consequences for natural hosts in unnatural landscapes. Ecol Appl 2022; 32:e2497. [PMID: 34783416 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Gulls are ubiquitous in urban areas due to a growing reliance on anthropogenic feeding sites, which has led to changes in their abundance, distribution, and migration ecology, with implications for disease transmission. Gulls offer a valuable model for testing hypotheses regarding the dynamics of influenza A virus (IAV) - for which gulls are a natural reservoir in urban areas. We sampled sympatric populations of Ring-billed (Larus delawarensis), Herring (L. argentatus), and Great Black-backed Gulls (L. marinus) along the densely populated Atlantic rim of North America to understand how IAV transmission is influenced by drivers such as annual cycle, host species, age, habitat type, and their interplay. We found that horizontal transmission, rather than vertical transmission, played an outsized role in the amplification of IAV due to the convergence of gulls from different breeding grounds and age classes. We detected overlapping effects of age and season in our prevalence model, identifying juveniles during autumn as the primary drivers of the seasonal epidemic in gulls. Gulls accumulated immunity over their lifespan, however short-term fluctuations in seroprevalence were observed, suggesting that migration may impose limits on the immune system to maintain circulating antibodies. We found that gulls in coastal urban habitats had higher viral prevalence than gulls captured inland, correlating with higher richness of waterbird species along the coast, a mechanism supported by our movement data. The peak in viral prevalence in newly fledged gulls that are capable of long-distance movement has important implications for the spread of pathogens to novel hosts during the migratory season as well as for human health as gulls increasingly utilize urban habitats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M Ineson
- Department of Natural Resources & the Environment, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, 03824, USA
| | - Nichola J Hill
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts, 02125, USA
| | - Daniel E Clark
- Division of Water Supply Protection, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, West Boylston, Massachusetts, 01583, USA
| | - Kenneth G MacKenzie
- Division of Water Supply Protection, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, West Boylston, Massachusetts, 01583, USA
| | - Jillian J Whitney
- Division of Water Supply Protection, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, West Boylston, Massachusetts, 01583, USA
| | - Yianni Laskaris
- US Fish and Wildlife Service, Galloway, New Jersey, 08205, USA
| | - Robert A Ronconi
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, B2Y 2N6, Canada
| | - Julie C Ellis
- Department of Pathobiology, Wildlife Futures Program, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, 19348, USA
| | - Jean-François Giroux
- Département des sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Stéphane Lair
- Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages/Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Skyler Stevens
- Division of Mathematics, Physical, and Natural Sciences, University of New Mexico, Gallup, New Mexico, 87301, USA
| | - Wendy B Puryear
- Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health, Tufts University, North Grafton, Massachusetts, 01536, USA
| | - Jonathan A Runstadler
- Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health, Tufts University, North Grafton, Massachusetts, 01536, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Turicea B, Pinard CL, Brouwer ER, Lair S, Wood GA, Benoit-Biancamano MO. Histological and histochemical characteristics of lacrimal glands in beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas). Can J Vet Res 2022; 86:65-73. [PMID: 34975225 PMCID: PMC8697326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to describe the histological and histochemical characteristics of the lacrimal glands of beluga whales. The study was carried out on the formalin-fixed ocular globes from 96 carcasses of beluga whales found stranded in the St. Lawrence estuary in Quebec, Canada. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained slides from the eyes of each whale were examined for lacrimal glands. Histological description was done with H&E and Masson Trichrome (MT) stains. Period Acid-Schiff (PAS), Alcian blue (AB) pH 1.0 and 2.5, and High Iron Diamine (HID) stains were used for histochemical characterization of glycoproteins. Thirteen ocular samples from animals ranging from neonate to 48 y included sections of lacrimal glands. The H&E stain revealed a tubuloalveolar gland architecture, separated into lobules by dense connective tissue. Each lobule contained a mixture of acini and tubules with ductules. Small and large acini were composed of low and tall columnar cells, respectively. Acinar cells contained basophilic cytoplasmic granules. The ductules were lined with a bi-layered cuboidal-to-squamous epithelium. The MT stain highlighted the connective tissue separating ductules and acini. Large acini were positive for PAS and some small acini had patchy uptake. Positive staining for AB pH 1.0 and 2.5 was mainly seen in tall columnar cells as compared to small acini that had faint to no stain uptake. High Iron Diamine stain revealed 90% staining of all acinar cells, with 10% exhibiting a mixed blue-black tinge. It was concluded that the lacrimal glands of beluga whales have similar histological and histochemical findings to those of artiodactyla and carnivora orders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bactelius Turicea
- Ontario Veterinary College Health Sciences Centre (Turicea), Department of Clinical Studies (Pinard), Department of Pathobiology (Brouwer, Wood), University of Guelph, 24 College Avenue, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1; Département de pathologie et microbiologie, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, St-Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 2M2 (Lair, Benoit-Biancamano)
| | - Chantale L Pinard
- Ontario Veterinary College Health Sciences Centre (Turicea), Department of Clinical Studies (Pinard), Department of Pathobiology (Brouwer, Wood), University of Guelph, 24 College Avenue, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1; Département de pathologie et microbiologie, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, St-Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 2M2 (Lair, Benoit-Biancamano)
| | - Emily R Brouwer
- Ontario Veterinary College Health Sciences Centre (Turicea), Department of Clinical Studies (Pinard), Department of Pathobiology (Brouwer, Wood), University of Guelph, 24 College Avenue, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1; Département de pathologie et microbiologie, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, St-Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 2M2 (Lair, Benoit-Biancamano)
| | - Stéphane Lair
- Ontario Veterinary College Health Sciences Centre (Turicea), Department of Clinical Studies (Pinard), Department of Pathobiology (Brouwer, Wood), University of Guelph, 24 College Avenue, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1; Département de pathologie et microbiologie, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, St-Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 2M2 (Lair, Benoit-Biancamano)
| | - Geoffrey A Wood
- Ontario Veterinary College Health Sciences Centre (Turicea), Department of Clinical Studies (Pinard), Department of Pathobiology (Brouwer, Wood), University of Guelph, 24 College Avenue, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1; Département de pathologie et microbiologie, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, St-Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 2M2 (Lair, Benoit-Biancamano)
| | - Marie-Odile Benoit-Biancamano
- Ontario Veterinary College Health Sciences Centre (Turicea), Department of Clinical Studies (Pinard), Department of Pathobiology (Brouwer, Wood), University of Guelph, 24 College Avenue, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1; Département de pathologie et microbiologie, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, St-Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 2M2 (Lair, Benoit-Biancamano)
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Abstract
Atherosclerosis is frequently diagnosed in captive parrots. Recent studies have highlighted the potential role of high fructose intake in the development of human cardiovascular disease. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary fructose on the lipid profile in psittacine birds. Six macaws, composed of 3 green-winged macaws (Ara chloropterus, 2 females, 1 male), and 3 blue-and-gold macaws (Ara ararauna, 1 female, 2 males), ranging from 15 to 26 years of age, were used as subject animals for this dietary investigation. Initially, fruits were removed from the diet and replaced with vegetables lower in fructose for a month. Then, with a crossover study design, each bird was randomly selected to receive either 34 kcal of a fructose solution daily for 5 days then an equivalent volume of water for 5 days, or water in the first 5 days followed by the 34 kcal fructose solution. Lipid profiles were repeatedly performed over the course of the study at specific intervals. Serum cholesterol (3.01-5.55 mmol/L), triglycerides (0.27-2.70 mmol/L), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (1.43-4.79 mmol/L), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (0.02-0.85 mmol/L), and very low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (0.12-1.22 mmol/L) levels were not statistically significantly different over time and treatment. Although no significant effect could be demonstrated in this study, further studies are needed to investigate the effect of a high fructose intake in psittacine birds, because it could have a deleterious influence on their cardiovascular health if proven to be linked with dyslipidemia as reported in humans. Higher amounts of fructose and longer periods of administration should be considered for future studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karine Béland
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 2M2, Canada
| | | | - Hugues Beaufrère
- Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Stéphane Lair
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Marion Desmarchelier
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 2M2, Canada,
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Jalenques M, Sanders J, Tran L, Beaupré L, Kent M, Lair S. Muscular microsporidian infection in Arctic char Salvelinus alpinus from two lakes in Nunavik, Quebec, Canada. Dis Aquat Organ 2021; 144:209-220. [PMID: 34042068 DOI: 10.3354/dao03593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Arctic char Salvelinus alpinus is an important cultural and subsistence resource for Inuit communities. Muscular infections by microsporidia were diagnosed for the first time in Arctic char originating from 2 different lakes in Nunavik (Quebec, Canada). The consumption of these infected fish was associated with digestive tract disorders in people. To better characterize microsporidiosis in these char populations, a cross-sectional study was conducted on 91 fish. The microsporidium was classified as a member of the Microsporidium collective genus by morphological evaluation and phylogenetic analysis using small subunit ribosomal DNA sequence data. The presence and severity of infection were determined histologically. Microsporidian infection occurred in 61% of the fish (56/91) and was significantly associated with an increase in their age, length and weight. The severity of infection (percentage of muscle area affected by microsporidia) was mild in most cases (<1% of the total muscle area). Based on multiple linear regression modeling, the severity of infection was significantly greater in females and negatively correlated with the body condition. Despite a high prevalence, the low pathogenicity of the infection suggests that microsporidiosis has little impact on these char populations. Moreover, since digestive-tract disorders following ingestion of fish infected by microsporidia have never been reported in humans, it seems unlikely that it was responsible for the reported clinical signs. Anisakid larvae are occasionally observed in these char populations. Digestive-tract infection associated with ingestion of these larvae should thus be considered as a potential differential diagnosis in these Inuit communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marion Jalenques
- Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages / Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 2M2, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Keatts LO, Robards M, Olson SH, Hueffer K, Insley SJ, Joly DO, Kutz S, Lee DS, Chetkiewicz CLB, Lair S, Preston ND, Pruvot M, Ray JC, Reid D, Sleeman JM, Stimmelmayr R, Stephen C, Walzer C. Implications of Zoonoses From Hunting and Use of Wildlife in North American Arctic and Boreal Biomes: Pandemic Potential, Monitoring, and Mitigation. Front Public Health 2021; 9:627654. [PMID: 34026707 PMCID: PMC8131663 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.627654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has re-focused attention on mechanisms that lead to zoonotic disease spillover and spread. Commercial wildlife trade, and associated markets, are recognized mechanisms for zoonotic disease emergence, resulting in a growing global conversation around reducing human disease risks from spillover associated with hunting, trade, and consumption of wild animals. These discussions are especially relevant to people who rely on harvesting wildlife to meet nutritional, and cultural needs, including those in Arctic and boreal regions. Global policies around wildlife use and trade can impact food sovereignty and security, especially of Indigenous Peoples. We reviewed known zoonotic pathogens and current risks of transmission from wildlife (including fish) to humans in North American Arctic and boreal biomes, and evaluated the epidemic and pandemic potential of these zoonoses. We discuss future concerns, and consider monitoring and mitigation measures in these changing socio-ecological systems. While multiple zoonotic pathogens circulate in these systems, risks to humans are mostly limited to individual illness or local community outbreaks. These regions are relatively remote, subject to very cold temperatures, have relatively low wildlife, domestic animal, and pathogen diversity, and in many cases low density, including of humans. Hence, favorable conditions for emergence of novel diseases or major amplification of a spillover event are currently not present. The greatest risk to northern communities from pathogens of pandemic potential is via introduction with humans visiting from other areas. However, Arctic and boreal ecosystems are undergoing rapid changes through climate warming, habitat encroachment, and development; all of which can change host and pathogen relationships, thereby affecting the probability of the emergence of new (and re-emergence of old) zoonoses. Indigenous leadership and engagement in disease monitoring, prevention and response, is vital from the outset, and would increase the success of such efforts, as well as ensure the protection of Indigenous rights as outlined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Partnering with northern communities and including Indigenous Knowledge Systems would improve the timeliness, and likelihood, of detecting emerging zoonotic risks, and contextualize risk assessments to the unique human-wildlife relationships present in northern biomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucy O. Keatts
- Wildlife Conservation Society Health Program, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Martin Robards
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Arctic Beringia Program, Fairbanks, AK, United States
| | - Sarah H. Olson
- Wildlife Conservation Society Health Program, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Karsten Hueffer
- Department of Veterinary Medicine & Arctic and Northern Studies Program, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, United States
| | - Stephen J. Insley
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | | | - Susan Kutz
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - David S. Lee
- Department of Wildlife and Environment, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - Stéphane Lair
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Mathieu Pruvot
- Wildlife Conservation Society Health Program, Bronx, NY, United States
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Justina C. Ray
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Donald Reid
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jonathan M. Sleeman
- United States Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Raphaela Stimmelmayr
- North Slope Department of Wildlife Management, Utqiagvik, AK, United States
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, United States
| | - Craig Stephen
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis
| | - Chris Walzer
- Wildlife Conservation Society Health Program, Bronx, NY, United States
- Conservation Medicine Unit, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Jalenques M, Lair S, Schmidt-Posthaus H, Jufer M, Lamglait B. Scuticociliate (Philasterides dicentrarchi) infection cluster in a multispecies marine aquarium system. Dis Aquat Organ 2021; 144:107-115. [PMID: 33884959 DOI: 10.3354/dao03580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Scuticociliatosis, caused by ciliated protozoa of the subclass Scuticociliatia, has been associated with high mortalities in marine fish. Environmental factors such as an increase in water temperature can enhance this disease. The aim of the present report is to describe the occurrence of a cluster of cases of scuticociliatosis in a multispecies marine cold-water system in a public aquarium. Philasterides dicentrarchi was identified by PCR in formalin-fixed tissues of some of the fish showing meningitis or meningoencephalitis, dermatitis and myositis with intralesional protozoa. An increase in water temperature of approximately 2°C was identified as a potential contributing factor for this cluster of infections. Higher temperature may have enhanced the propagation or pathogenicity of scuticociliates or increased host susceptibility of some species of fish, especially wolf-eel Anarrhichthys ocellatus and spotted ratfish Hydrolagus colliei. This report also highlights the complexity of dealing with mixed species systems housing fish from different natural ecozones.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marion Jalenques
- Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages/Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 2M2, Canada
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Barrett H, Du X, Houde M, Lair S, Verreault J, Peng H. Suspect and Nontarget Screening Revealed Class-Specific Temporal Trends (2000-2017) of Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances in St. Lawrence Beluga Whales. Environ Sci Technol 2021; 55:1659-1671. [PMID: 33444015 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c05957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The global use of >3000 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) has given rise to chemical regulatory action. However, limited information exists regarding current and historical emissions for the majority of PFASs under currently implemented regulations. This study employed suspect and nontarget screening to examine the temporal trends of legacy and unregulated PFASs in liver of the endangered beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) population from the St. Lawrence Estuary in Canada collected from 2000 to 2017. A suite of 54 PFASs were tentatively identified, and were grouped into nine structurally distinct classes. Single-hydrogenated perfluoro carboxylic acids (H-PFCAs), single-hydrogenated sulfonamides (H-Sulfonamides), as well as other select sulfonamides were detected for the first time in wildlife. Greater concentrations of the majority of PFASs were determined in newborns and juveniles than in adults, suggesting effective placental and lactational transfer of PFASs. Legacy per- and polyfluoroalkyl acids and perfluorooctane sulfonamide in beluga whale liver were found to significantly decrease in concentration between 2000 and 2017, while unregulated short-chain PFAS alternatives, H-PFCAs, and odd-chain FTCAs were found to increase over time. The implementation of suspect and nontarget screening revealed class-specific temporal trends of PFASs in SLE beluga whales, and supported continuous emissions of unregulated PFASs into the environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Holly Barrett
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - Xuan Du
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - Magali Houde
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, 105 McGill Street, Montréal, Québec H2Y 2E7, Canada
| | - Stéphane Lair
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 7C6, Canada
| | - Jonathan Verreault
- Centre de Recherche en Toxicologie de l'Environnement (TOXEN), Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, P.O. Box 8888, Succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, Québec H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Hui Peng
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada
- School of the Environment, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S3H6 Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Bernier-Graveline A, Lesage V, Cabrol J, Lair S, Michaud R, Rosabal M, Verreault J. Lipid metabolites as indicators of body condition in highly contaminant-exposed belugas from the endangered St. Lawrence Estuary population (Canada). Environ Res 2021; 192:110272. [PMID: 33038366 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The endangered St. Lawrence Estuary (SLE) beluga population is declining and has shown no sign of recovery over the past decades despite several protective measures. Changes in the availability of food resources and exposure to organohalogen contaminants have been suggested as potential factors limiting the recovery of this population. Studies on SLE belugas have suggested that contaminant exposure may perturb energy metabolism, however, whether this translates into changes in energy reserves (lipid composition) and body condition is unknown. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationships between body condition and concentrations of organohalogens (polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorine pesticides, and flame retardants) and a range of lipid metabolites (fatty acids, acylcarnitines, lysophosphatidylcholines, phosphatidylcholines, and sphingomyelins) in blubber samples collected from 51 SLE beluga carcasses recovered between 1998 and 2016 for which the cause of mortality was documented. Blubber Σ9fatty acid concentrations in SLE belugas significantly decreased between 1998 and 2016, suggesting a decline in energy reserves over the past two decades. Concentrations of several phosphatidylcholine analogues were greater in blubber of beluga males and/or females that were in poor body condition compared to those in good body condition. Moreover, concentrations of phosphatidylcholine acyl-alkyl C32:2 were greater in females that died from primary starvation (poor body condition). Greater concentrations of Σ12emerging flame retardants were also found in blubber of SLE beluga females that were in poorer body condition. This study suggests that the use of membrane lipids including phosphatidylcholine concentrations may be a good indicator of body condition and energy reserve status in blubber of marine mammals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Bernier-Graveline
- Centre de recherche en toxicologie de l'environnement (TOXEN), Département des sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, P.O. Box 8888, Succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Véronique Lesage
- Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, P.O. Box 1000, 850 route de la Mer, Mont-Joli, QC, G5H 3Z4, Canada
| | - Jory Cabrol
- Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, P.O. Box 1000, 850 route de la Mer, Mont-Joli, QC, G5H 3Z4, Canada
| | - Stéphane Lair
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Robert Michaud
- Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals, Tadoussac, QC, G0T 2A0, Canada
| | - Maikel Rosabal
- Centre de recherche en toxicologie de l'environnement (TOXEN), Département des sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, P.O. Box 8888, Succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Jonathan Verreault
- Centre de recherche en toxicologie de l'environnement (TOXEN), Département des sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, P.O. Box 8888, Succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Béland K, Séguin G, Lair S. Emamectin benzoate is a safe and effective anthelmintic against coelomic nematode Philometra rubra in striped bass Morone saxatilis. Dis Aquat Organ 2020; 142:47-53. [PMID: 33210611 DOI: 10.3354/dao03530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
An unusually high mortality rate due to verminous (Philometra rubra) coelomitis was documented in wild-hatched striped bass Morone saxatilis raised in a fish hatchery as part of a stock restoration program. To decrease the parasitic burden and therefore potentially minimize mortality, the effectiveness of 2 different anthelmintics was evaluated. Two trials were conducted on wild-collected fingerlings naturally infected by P. rubra. In 2006, 144 yearling fish were randomly assigned to 4 experimental groups: (1) levamisole (Levasol®) at 2 mg l-1 via immersion for 8 h once weekly for 3 wk; (2) levamisole at a dose of 2.5 mg kg-1 biomass via feed once daily for 7 d; (3) emamectin benzoate (Slice®) at a dose of 0.05 mg kg-1 biomass via feed once daily for 7 d; and (4) control. Emamectin successfully eliminated live nematodes in 84.9% of the fish, whereas the administration of levamisole, either via immersion or feed, was not successful in significantly reducing the number of live P. rubra. In 2007, the administration of the same dosage of emamectin to approximately 1000 naturally infected yearling striped bass was associated with a 100% mortality rate of P. rubra in the 30 fish randomly examined 5 wk after the beginning of the treatment. Results of these trials indicate that, at the dosage used, the administration of emamectin at the end of the summer is safe for striped bass yearlings and considerably reduces the prevalence and intensity of the infection by this parasite.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karine Béland
- Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages / Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 8H5, Canada
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
24
|
Abstract
Ecosystems and community structure fluctuate over time as a result of natural and anthropogenic factors that may affect prey availability and population dynamics. Most of what we know about St. Lawrence Estuary (SLE) Beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) diet comes from stomach contents collected 80 years ago mainly from a hunting site that Beluga no longer use. How reflective these data are of Beluga diet at other sites and at the current time is unknown. In the context of the recent population decline, general information of prey species alone may help identify useful conservation actions for potentially important prey or habitats. Here, we examined the diet of SLE Beluga using digestive tracts collected from carcasses recovered over the past 30 years, in the context of historical diet data and recent changes in the St. Lawrence ecosystem. We showed they have a varied diet composed of fish and invertebrates generally <30 cm in length, and that adult males and females differ in their summer diet in a way that is consistent with the sex segregation observed in this population. Our results also indicate that polychaete worms, squid, and cod are still among the most prevalent prey, and that species such as redfish (Sebastes spp.) might be important prey items. This study shows that Beluga diet has changed since the 1930s, and that prey from digestive tracts identified to species are valuable for making comparisons to the past, and for improving applications of molecular analyses, such as stable isotopes and fatty acids.
Collapse
|
25
|
Vergneau-Grosset C, Dubé C, Fitzgerald G, Lair S. Characteristics of antebrachial fractures associated with a successful outcome among free-ranging birds of prey that received treatment in a rehabilitation program. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2020; 256:580-589. [PMID: 32068512 DOI: 10.2460/javma.256.5.580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To identify characteristics of antebrachial fractures associated with a successful outcome (ie, bird released back into the wild after regaining normal flight ability, without being returned to the rehabilitation program within 1 month afterward) for free-ranging birds of prey admitted to a rehabilitation program. ANIMALS 620 birds of prey (representing 24 species) with antebrachial fractures admitted alive to a rehabilitation program from August 1986 through December 2015. PROCEDURES The medical record of each bird was reviewed to obtain information on species, age, sex, year of admission, fracture characteristics, and treatments administered. Outcome was classified as successful or unsuccessful on the basis of available data. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify fracture characteristics associated with outcome. RESULTS 519 of 620 (84%) birds received treatment, and a successful outcome was recorded for 245 (47%) treated birds. Birds with closed (vs open) fractures were significantly more likely to have a successful outcome. Birds with concomitant radial and ulnar fractures involving the same third of the antebrachium (vs other types of antebrachial fractures) were significantly less likely to have a successful outcome, although birds with this type of fracture were significantly more likely to have a successful outcome when the fracture was localized to the middle or distal (vs proximal) third of the antebrachium. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE The characteristics of antebrachial fractures associated with a successful or unsuccessful outcome in this study may be useful in the development of triage protocols for birds of prey in other rehabilitation centers.
Collapse
|
26
|
Béland K, Wong E, St-Cyr JF, Lair S. High occurrence rate of xanthomatosis and nephrocalcinosis in aquarium-housed Atlantic wolffish Anarhichas lupus and spotted wolffish A. minor. Dis Aquat Organ 2020; 139:223-232. [PMID: 32495748 DOI: 10.3354/dao03477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The Atlantic wolffish (AW) and the spotted wolffish (SW) are long-lived fish found in the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans and are respectively classified as special concern and threatened species, mainly due to fisheries bycatch. To better understand health issues associated with the care of these species in public aquaria, reports from all necropsies performed in 2 zoological institutions between 2009 and 2019 were reviewed (31 AW and 8 SW). These wolffish were fed with a similar fish-based diet and kept in multi-species exhibits with comparable environmental parameters. The most frequent necropsy findings were the presence of xanthomas (AW: 41.9%; SW: 75.0%), nephrocalcinosis (AW: 42.9%; SW: 75.0%) and urocystoliths (AW: 6.5%; SW: 62.5%). Xanthomas were mostly located at the base of pectoral fins and were characterized by extensive granulomatous inflammation centered on accumulations of partly mineralized degenerate fatty material, mainly composed of cholesterol crystals. Nephrocalcinosis was characterized by the deposition of calcium salts within the renal tubules and was commonly associated with tubular necrosis. The aquarium-housed wolffish were fed a coldwater fish-based diet. However, the natural diet of wolffish is composed mostly of invertebrates such as urchins and crustaceans. Differences in nutrient composition between these diets, such as lipid and mineral content, may have contributed to the development of xanthomatosis, nephrocalcinosis and urocystolithiasis in wolffish housed in these institutions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karine Béland
- Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages/Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 8H5, Canada
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
27
|
Abstract
Horner syndrome, which results from oculosympathetic denervation, has rarely been reported in birds. A retrospective study was conducted in a raptor rehabilitation program to gain further insight into Horner syndrome in birds. Data from 5128 live raptors admitted over 20 years were reviewed. Horner syndrome was identified in 22 individuals from 13 different species. Raptors from the orders Strigiformes, Accipitriformes, and Falconiformes were affected, with the last order being underrepresented. Ptosis of the upper eyelid was the most commonly reported clinical sign in the birds diagnosed with Horner syndrome, having been noted in 21 cases. Signs of traumatic injury, such as fractures, wounds, and hematomas, were documented in 18 cases. Among the 22 cases, 12 birds were euthanatized, 3 died in treatment, and 7 were successfully released back into the wild.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu K LaChance
- Département de Sciences Cliniques, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Guy Fitzgerald
- Département de Sciences Cliniques, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Stéphane Lair
- Département de Sciences Cliniques, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Marion R Desmarchelier
- Département de Sciences Cliniques, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
MacDonald AM, Barta JR, McKay M, Lair S, Le Net R, Baldwin F, Pople N, Nemeth NM. Lymphoproliferative Disease Virus in Wild Turkeys ( Meleagris gallopavo) from Manitoba and Quebec, Canada. Avian Dis 2020; 63:506-510. [PMID: 31967435 DOI: 10.1637/aviandiseases-d-19-00102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
This study describes the first recognized clinical case of lymphoproliferative disease virus (LPDV) in Canada and extends the range of LPDV in Canada through its detection in Manitoba and Quebec. We assessed the prevalence of LPDV in eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) with the use of whole, clotted blood from live birds in Manitoba (n = 65) and tissue samples collected postmortem in Quebec (n = 4). We tested for LPDV proviral DNA through PCR amplification and sequencing of a portion of the gag (p31) gene. Samples were also tested for reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) by PCR. Twenty-four birds (34.8%) were positive for LPDV, including all diagnostic cases. One bird (1.4%) from Quebec had gross and microscopic lesions consistent with LPDV. Two turkeys (2.9%) were REV positive, one (1.4%) of which was co-infected with LPDV. Phylogenetic analysis of LPDV strains from Quebec and Manitoba grouped with previously sequenced samples from Ontario and publicly available sequences from a North American lineage. This study contributes valuable information toward ongoing surveillance and monitoring of LPDV in North America.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M MacDonald
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada NIG 2W1, .,Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada NIG 2W1,
| | - John R Barta
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada NIG 2W1
| | - Michelle McKay
- Department of Biology and Environmental & Life Sciences, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada K9J 7B8
| | - Stéphane Lair
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada J2S 2M2
| | - Rozenn Le Net
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada J2S 2M2
| | - Frank Baldwin
- Wildlife Branch, Manitoba Sustainable Development, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3J 3W3
| | - Neil Pople
- Veterinary Diagnostic Services, Manitoba Agriculture, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3T 5S6
| | - Nicole M Nemeth
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Champoux L, Rail JF, Houde M, Giraudo M, Lacaze É, Franci CD, Fairhurst GD, Hobson KA, Brousseau P, Guillemette M, Pelletier D, Montevecchi WA, Lair S, Verreault J, Soos C. An investigation of physiological effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on a long-distance migratory seabird, the northern gannet. Mar Pollut Bull 2020; 153:110953. [PMID: 32275518 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.110953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to oil can have long-term impacts on migratory birds. Following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon blowout in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), we investigated potential impacts of oil exposure on a population of northern gannets (Morus bassanus) that breed on Bonaventure Island (Québec, Canada) and winter in GOM and along the U.S. Atlantic coast (AC). Blood and feather samples were collected from adults previously equipped with geolocators to determine wintering locations. Parent and alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); trace metals; stable isotopes of carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen; and immune, thyroid, steroid, retinoid, and genetic endpoints were measured. PAH and trace metal concentrations did not differ between gannets using different wintering sites. Feather stable isotope values varied significantly between birds from different wintering locations. Gannets wintering in GOM showed higher feather corticosterone and plasma thyroid hormone levels, which may indicate increased energetic demands and/or greater exposure to environmental stressors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Louise Champoux
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Jean-François Rail
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Magali Houde
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Maeva Giraudo
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Émilie Lacaze
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Graham D Fairhurst
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Keith A Hobson
- Wildlife Research Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Pauline Brousseau
- Institut des Sciences de la Mer de Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Stéphane Lair
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Jonathan Verreault
- Centre de recherche en toxicologie de l'environnement (TOXEN), Département des sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Catherine Soos
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Lamglait B, Lair S. Fatal West Nile Virus Infection in a Virginia Opossum ( Didelphis virginiana) with Pulmonary Lepidic-Predominant Adenocarcinoma. J Wildl Dis 2019; 55:990-994. [PMID: 31008678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
A fatal case of West Nile virus (WNV) infection was diagnosed based on histopathologic findings and the presence of WNV RNA by reverse transcription PCR in the affected organs in a Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) in Quebec, Canada in 2017. Disease caused by WNV has not been described in a marsupial species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Lamglait
- Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages/Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Stéphane Lair
- Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages/Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 2M2, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Vergneau-Grosset C, Peña L, Cluzel C, Hawkins M, Maccolini E, Sinclair K, Graham J, Sadar M, Guzman DSM, Lair S, Langlois I, Paul-Murphy J. Evaluation of deslorelin implant on subsequent mammary tumors of rats (Rattus norvegicus). J Exot Pet Med 2019. [DOI: 10.1053/j.jepm.2019.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
|
32
|
Coutant T, Vergneau-Grosset C, Lair S. Effect of a Misoprostol/Phenytoin Gel on Experimentally Induced Wounds in Brook Trout-A Preliminary Study. J Aquat Anim Health 2019; 31:214-221. [PMID: 30980421 DOI: 10.1002/aah.10071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 04/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Topical treatment for wound management in fish is challenging due to their aquatic life. The objective of the present study was to assess the effect of a topical gel containing misoprostol and phenytoin on the healing of skin wounds in Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis. Four 16- × 8-mm, full-thickness wounds were created in each trout. Fish were randomly assigned either to the misoprostol/phenytoin group (14 fish) or to the untreated control group (5 fish). In fish from the misoprostol/phenytoin group, two randomly selected wounds were topically treated with a misoprostol/phenytoin gel, while the other two wounds were left without topical treatment. Follow-up and treatment were performed every 5 d for 120 d. Different macroscopic healing indexes were recorded over time, and histological characteristics of each wound were scored at the end of the study. Treatment with misoprostol/phenytoin was associated with delayed epithelialization and wound maturation in comparison with contralateral untreated wounds. The treatment was also associated with lower histological inflammation scores and increased dermal neovascularization. The untreated wounds of fish in the misoprostol/phenytoin group showed delayed maturation and decreased healing speed and had lower inflammation scores and increased neovascularization compared to untreated control wounds. Topical treatment of wounds in Brook Trout with misoprostol/phenytoin gel at the concentration used had a local and systemic deleterious effect on wound healing. The results of the present study do not support the use of this gel at this dosage for the treatment of wounds in Brook Trout.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Coutant
- Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 Rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, J2S2M2, Canada
- Aquarium du Québec, Société des Établissements de Plein air du Québec, 1675 Avenue des Hôtels, Québec, Québec, G1W 4S3, Canada
| | - Claire Vergneau-Grosset
- Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 Rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, J2S2M2, Canada
- Aquarium du Québec, Société des Établissements de Plein air du Québec, 1675 Avenue des Hôtels, Québec, Québec, G1W 4S3, Canada
| | - Stéphane Lair
- Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 Rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, J2S2M2, Canada
- Aquarium du Québec, Société des Établissements de Plein air du Québec, 1675 Avenue des Hôtels, Québec, Québec, G1W 4S3, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Jalenques MD, Ferrell ST, Limoges MJ, Lair S. Fatal Aspergillus flavus rhinitis with gastrointestinal gaseous distension in a Cape porcupine. J Vet Diagn Invest 2019; 31:652-655. [PMID: 31113331 DOI: 10.1177/1040638719852981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
An adult female Cape porcupine (Hystrix africaeaustralis) was presented because of marked abdominal distension, acute dyspnea, and lethargy. Physical examination and standard radiographs revealed marked and diffuse gaseous dilation of the stomach and intestines of undetermined origin. The porcupine died despite medical therapy and surgical intervention. Postmortem examination revealed chronic fungal (Aspergillus flavus) rhinitis. Given that rodents are obligate nasal breathers, the rhinitis likely resulted in substantial upper airway obstruction leading to aerophagia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marion D Jalenques
- Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages/Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada (Jalenques, Lair).,Zoo de Granby, Granby, Quebec, Canada (Ferrell, Limoges).,Current address: Edmonton Valley Zoo, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (Limoges)
| | - Shannon T Ferrell
- Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages/Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada (Jalenques, Lair).,Zoo de Granby, Granby, Quebec, Canada (Ferrell, Limoges).,Current address: Edmonton Valley Zoo, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (Limoges)
| | - Marie-Josée Limoges
- Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages/Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada (Jalenques, Lair).,Zoo de Granby, Granby, Quebec, Canada (Ferrell, Limoges).,Current address: Edmonton Valley Zoo, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (Limoges)
| | - Stéphane Lair
- Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages/Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada (Jalenques, Lair).,Zoo de Granby, Granby, Quebec, Canada (Ferrell, Limoges).,Current address: Edmonton Valley Zoo, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (Limoges)
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Poirier MC, Lair S, Michaud R, Hernández-Ramon EE, Divi KV, Dwyer JE, Ester CD, Si NN, Ali M, Loseto LL, Raverty SA, St. Leger JA, van Bonn WG, Colegrove K, Burek-Huntington KA, Suydam R, Stimmelmayr R, Wise JP, Wise SS, Beauchamp G, Martineau D. Intestinal polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-DNA adducts in a population of beluga whales with high levels of gastrointestinal cancers. Environ Mol Mutagen 2019; 60:29-41. [PMID: 30307653 PMCID: PMC6320268 DOI: 10.1002/em.22251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Revised: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were disposed directly into the Saguenay River of the St. Lawrence Estuary (SLE) by local aluminum smelters (Quebec, Canada) for 50 years (1926-1976). PAHs in the river sediments are likely etiologically related to gastrointestinal epithelial cancers observed in 7% of 156 mature (>19-year old) adult beluga found dead along the shorelines. Because DNA adduct formation provides a critical link between exposure and cancer induction, and because PAH-DNA adducts are chemically stable, we hypothesized that SLE beluga intestine would contain PAH-DNA adducts. Using an antiserum specific for DNA modified with several carcinogenic PAHs, we stained sections of paraffin-embedded intestine from 51 SLE beluga (0-63 years), 4 Cook Inlet (CI) Alaska beluga (0-26 years), and 20 beluga (0-46 years) living in Arctic areas (Eastern Beaufort Sea, Eastern Chukchi Sea, Point Lay Alaska) and aquaria, all with low PAH contamination. Stained sections showed nuclear light-to-dark pink color indicating the presence of PAH-DNA adducts concentrated in intestinal crypt epithelial lining cells. Scoring of whole tissue sections revealed higher values for the 51 SLE beluga, compared with the 20 Arctic and aquarium beluga (P = 0.003). The H-scoring system, applied to coded individual photomicrographs, confirmed that SLE beluga and CI beluga had levels of intestinal PAH-DNA adducts significantly higher than Arctic and aquarium beluga (P = 0.003 and 0.02, respectively). Furthermore, high levels of intestinal PAH-DNA adducts in four SLE beluga with gastrointestinal cancers, considered as a group, support a link of causality between PAH exposure and intestinal cancer in SLE beluga. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 60:29-41, 2019. Published 2018. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miriam C. Poirier
- Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892-4255, U.S.A
| | - Stéphane Lair
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Département de pathologie et microbiologie, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, PQ, J2S2M2, Canada
| | - Robert Michaud
- Groupe de Recherche et d’Education de Mammifères Marins (GREMM), Tadoussac, PQ, GOT2A0, Canada
| | - Elena E. Hernández-Ramon
- Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892-4255, U.S.A
| | - Kathyayini V. Divi
- Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892-4255, U.S.A
| | - Jennifer E. Dwyer
- Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892-4255, U.S.A
| | - Corbin D. Ester
- Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892-4255, U.S.A
| | - Nancy N. Si
- Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892-4255, U.S.A
| | - Mehnaz Ali
- Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892-4255, U.S.A
| | - Lisa L. Loseto
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N6, Canada
| | - Stephen A. Raverty
- Marine Mammal Research Unit, University of British Columbia, Animal Health Center, Abbotsford, BC, V3G 2M3, Canada
| | | | - William G. van Bonn
- John G. Shedd Aquarium, A. Watson Armour III Center for Aquatic Animal Health and Welfare, Chicago, IL, 60605, U.S.A
| | - Kathleen Colegrove
- Zoological Pathology Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 3300 Golf Rd., Brookfield IL, 60513, U.S.A
| | | | - Robert Suydam
- North Slope Borough, Dept. of Wildlife Management, Barrow, AK, 99723, U.S.A
| | - Raphaela Stimmelmayr
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, U.S.A
| | - John Pierce Wise
- Wise Laboratory of Genetic and Environmental Toxicology, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, 505S. Hancock St., CTRB, Louisville, KY, 40202, U.S.A
| | - Sandra S. Wise
- Wise Laboratory of Genetic and Environmental Toxicology, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, 505S. Hancock St., CTRB, Louisville, KY, 40202, U.S.A
| | - Guy Beauchamp
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Département de pathologie et microbiologie, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, PQ, J2S2M2, Canada
| | - Daniel Martineau
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Département de pathologie et microbiologie, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, PQ, J2S2M2, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Iqbal A, Measures L, Lair S, Dixon B. Toxoplasma gondii infection in stranded St. Lawrence Estuary beluga Delphinapterus leucas in Quebec, Canada. Dis Aquat Organ 2018; 130:165-175. [PMID: 30259869 DOI: 10.3354/dao03262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The St. Lawrence Estuary (SLE) beluga Delphinapterus leucas in Quebec, Canada, is endangered due to intensive hunting in the 19th and 20th centuries and subsequent anthropogenic contamination and human activities in the region. Infectious disease is a primary cause of death in this population. The protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii is reported in numerous marine mammal species, including beluga. In the present study, 55 tissue samples (heart and brain) collected from 34 stranded SLE beluga were analysed by PCR followed by DNA sequencing and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (RFLP) to determine the PCR prevalence and genotypes of T. gondii in these beluga. Of 34 beluga tested, 44% were positive for T. gondii by PCR, with males having a higher prevalence of infection than females and with more infected neonates and juveniles than adults. Molecular analyses indicated that all T. gondii infecting stranded SLE beluga grouped into genotype II, which predominates in humans. While our results indicate that a high prevalence of stranded beluga are PCR-positive for T. gondii infection, very few deaths are attributed to toxoplasmosis based on published necropsy results. Toxoplasma gondii can cause a range of diseases, including neurological deficits, and more data are needed to investigate this parasite's effect on population recovery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Asma Iqbal
- Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Food Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
36
|
Cojean O, Lair S, Vergneau-Grosset C. Evaluation of β-carotene assimilation in leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius). J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2018; 102:1411-1418. [PMID: 29797444 DOI: 10.1111/jpn.12924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2017] [Revised: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 04/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Although leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) are commonly kept under human care, their vitamin requirements are largely unknown. Many invertebrate preys display a low vitamin A concentration; thus, gut-loading insects with vitamin A or carotenoids is a common practice. The objective of this prospective experimental study was to investigate whether dietary supplementation with β-carotene, including prey gut-loading, leads to sufficient vitamin A hepatic storage and prevents epithelial squamous metaplasia development in leopard geckos. Ten clinically healthy female leopard geckos were randomly divided in two groups with various supplementations: a group receiving vitamin A supplementation and a group receiving β-carotene. Insects were gut-loaded continuously with a supplement containing vitamin A or β-carotene, depending on the group. Oral supplementation with cod liver oil or carrot juice was administered weekly to each lizard from "vitamin A group" and "carotenoid group" respectively. After 10 weeks of supplementation, surgical hepatic biopsies were obtained in three geckos of each group while the two remaining geckos were euthanized to undergo complete necropsy. Hepatic vitamin A concentration was determined for each lizard (n = 10) by ultra-performance liquid chromatography. Histopathology revealed hepatocellular vacuolization and vitellogenic follicles in five females. Epithelial squamous metaplasia was not observed in any of the geckos. Hepatic vitamin A concentration was significantly higher in the carotenoid-supplemented group than in the vitamin A-supplemented group (p = 0.03). Our results suggest that in leopard geckos, dietary supplementation with β-carotene allows sufficient vitamin A hepatic storage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ophélie Cojean
- Zoological Medicine Service, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - Stéphane Lair
- Zoological Medicine Service, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - Claire Vergneau-Grosset
- Zoological Medicine Service, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Summa NM, Guzman DSM, Larrat S, Troncy E, Bird DM, Lair S, Fitzgerald, G. Evaluation of High Dosages of Oral Meloxicam in American Kestrels (Falco sparverius). J Avian Med Surg 2017. [DOI: 10.1647/2015-150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
|
38
|
Starr M, Lair S, Michaud S, Scarratt M, Quilliam M, Lefaivre D, Robert M, Wotherspoon A, Michaud R, Ménard N, Sauvé G, Lessard S, Béland P, Measures L. Multispecies mass mortality of marine fauna linked to a toxic dinoflagellate bloom. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0176299. [PMID: 28472048 PMCID: PMC5417436 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2016] [Accepted: 04/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Following heavy precipitation, we observed an intense algal bloom in the St. Lawrence Estuary (SLE) that coincided with an unusually high mortality of several species of marine fish, birds and mammals, including species designated at risk. The algal species was identified as Alexandrium tamarense and was determined to contain a potent mixture of paralytic shellfish toxins (PST). Significant levels of PST were found in the liver and/or gastrointestinal contents of several carcasses tested as well as in live planktivorous fish, molluscs and plankton samples collected during the bloom. This provided strong evidence for the trophic transfer of PST resulting in mortalities of multiple wildlife species. This conclusion was strengthened by the sequence of mortalities, which followed the drift of the bloom along the coast of the St. Lawrence Estuary. No other cause of mortality was identified in the majority of animals examined at necropsy. Reports of marine fauna presenting signs of neurological dysfunction were also supportive of exposure to these neurotoxins. The event reported here represents the first well-documented case of multispecies mass mortality of marine fish, birds and mammals linked to a PST-producing algal bloom.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michel Starr
- Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Mont-Joli, Québec, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Stéphane Lair
- Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal (UM), St. Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
| | - Sonia Michaud
- Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Mont-Joli, Québec, Canada
| | - Michael Scarratt
- Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Mont-Joli, Québec, Canada
| | - Michael Quilliam
- National Research Council of Canada (NRCC), Biotoxin Metrology, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Denis Lefaivre
- Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Mont-Joli, Québec, Canada
| | - Michel Robert
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS), Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Andrew Wotherspoon
- National Research Council of Canada (NRCC), Biotoxin Metrology, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Robert Michaud
- Groupe de Recherche et D’éducation sur les Mammifères Marins (GREMM), Tadoussac, Québec, Canada
| | - Nadia Ménard
- Parks Canada, Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park, Tadoussac, Québec, Canada
| | - Gilbert Sauvé
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Sylvie Lessard
- Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Mont-Joli, Québec, Canada
| | - Pierre Béland
- St. Lawrence National Institute of Ecotoxicology (SLNIE), Knowlton, Québec, Canada
| | - Lena Measures
- Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Mont-Joli, Québec, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Measures L, Moravec F, Douglas S, Lair S. Philometra rubra (Nematoda: Philometridae) — first description of the male from striped bass (Morone saxatilis) and implications for re-introduction of an extirpated population. CAN J ZOOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2016-0141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Philometra rubra (Leidy, 1856) is a pathogenic parasitic nematode infecting striped bass (Morone saxatilis (Walbaum, 1792)) in eastern North America. Identification of philometrids is difficult, male P. rubra have never been found, and transmission is poorly understood. To re-establish the “Extirpated” striped bass population in the St. Lawrence Estuary (SLE), Quebec, young-of-the-year (YOY) striped bass from the Miramichi River, New Brunswick, were collected and released into the SLE. The present study was undertaken to find Philometra in striped bass from the Miramichi River, for identification, description, and examine transmission and lesions. Philometra rubra was identified in 100% of 32 YOY (intensity = 26–125) and 100% of nine 1-year-old (intensity = 4–25 in five striped bass) striped bass collected in summer 2011. The swim bladder and body cavity were sites of infection in YOY with no tissue response observed histopathologically. Gravid P. rubra females occurred in the body cavity and swim bladder, with males predominately in the latter site. Males were short-lived, being absent in 1-year-old bass. Adult male and adult female P. rubra are described. Males of P. rubra can be distinguished from other described species based on spicule, gubernaculum, and body-length measurements. This parasite may have implications for the re-introduction program and conservation of striped bass in the SLE and in other populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L.N. Measures
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice Lamontagne Institute, 850, route de la mer, Mont-Joli, QC G5H 3Z4, Canada
| | - F. Moravec
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - S. Douglas
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, P.O. Box 5030, Moncton, NB E1C 9B6, Canada
| | - S. Lair
- Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages – Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200, rue Sicotte, St. Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Fenton H, Daoust PY, Forzán MJ, Vanderstichel RV, Ford JKB, Spaven L, Lair S, Raverty S. Causes of mortality of harbor porpoises Phocoena phocoena along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Canada. Dis Aquat Organ 2017; 122:171-183. [PMID: 28117296 DOI: 10.3354/dao03080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
There is increasing public interest in the overall health of the marine environment. Harbor porpoises Phocoena phocoena have a coastal distribution, and stranded animals function as sentinels for population and ecosystem health. The goal of this retrospective study was to join datasets from the western Atlantic and eastern Pacific coasts of Canada to investigate causes of morbidity and mortality in this species. A total of 241 necropsy records were reviewed including 147 (61%) from the Pacific region and 94 (39%) from the Atlantic region from 1988 to 2011. A cause of death could be determined with confidence in 118 (49%) of these cases. Of these 118 cases, the leading cause of mortality for both regions, together and separately, was infectious disease. In the Pacific region, this was followed by traumatic and anthropogenic causes, whereas in the Atlantic region, it was followed by emaciation/starvation, mortality of dependent calves, and anthropogenic causes. Pathogens of potential zoonotic significance or indicative of environmental contamination, e.g. Salmonella sp. and Cryptococcus gattii, were identified. Numerous parasitic species were observed within the lungs, liver, stomach, middle ear, and subcutaneous tissues, although they were usually interpreted as incidental findings. Anthropogenic causes may be underrepresented as they are notoriously difficult to diagnose with certainty, thereby making up a proportion of the 'unknown causes of death' (51%) category. Improved standardization of data collection and documentation is required to better understand harbor porpoise and ecosystem health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heather Fenton
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, 550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, PE C1A 4P3, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
41
|
Roos A, Beltran S, Piscia D, Laurie S, Protasio J, Cañada A, Fernández J, Kaliyaperumal R, Lair S, Sernadela P, Girdea M, Thompson R, Straub V, Roos M, T'Hoen P, Valencia A, Salgado D, Béroud C, Gut I, Lochmüller H. RD-Connect: Data sharing and analysis for rare disease research within the integrated platform and through GA4GH beacon and matchmaker exchange. Neuromuscul Disord 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2016.06.272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
|
42
|
Lair S, Measures LN, Martineau D. Pathologic Findings and Trends in Mortality in the Beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) Population of the St Lawrence Estuary, Quebec, Canada, From 1983 to 2012. Vet Pathol 2015; 53:22-36. [PMID: 26374277 DOI: 10.1177/0300985815604726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
An isolated population of beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) inhabits the St Lawrence Estuary, Quebec, Canada. This population has failed to recover despite the prohibition of hunting >30 years ago, suggesting the presence of other limiting factors. The authors summarize the reported causes of death and propose risk factors to explain the lack of recovery of this population. From 1983 to 2012, a total of 472 beluga were found stranded. Complete necropsies were carried out on 222 beluga, including 178 adults, 25 juveniles, and 19 newborn calves. Infectious diseases, the most prevalent cause of mortality in this population, accounted for the death of one-third of all beluga (32%). Verminous pneumonia was the cause of mortality of 13 juvenile beluga (52% of juvenile beluga). A total of 39 malignant neoplasms, diagnosed in 35 beluga, caused the death of 31 beluga (20% of beluga >19 years old). Median age at diagnosis of cancer was 48 years (range, 30-61 years). Dystocia and postpartum complications were the cause of death in 18 beluga, accounting for 19% of the females >19 years old examined. The occurrence of parturition-associated complications, as well as mortality of calves <1 year old, have increased recently in this population and may be the probable cause of the recent decrease in the size of this population. One of the hypotheses proposed to explain the unusually high occurrence of some of the pathologic conditions observed in this population is chronic exposure to environmental contaminants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S Lair
- Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages / Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Département de sciences cliniques, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St Hyacinthe, Canada
| | - L N Measures
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Mont-Joli, Canada
| | - D Martineau
- Département de pathologie et microbiologie, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St Hyacinthe, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Fortin JS, Santamaria-Bouvier A, Lair S, Dallaire AD, Benoit-Biancamano MO. Anatomic and molecular characterization of the endocrine pancreas of a teleostean fish: Atlantic wolffish ( Anarhichas lupus). Zool Stud 2015; 54:e21. [PMID: 31966108 DOI: 10.1186/s40555-014-0093-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2014] [Accepted: 12/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The biologic attributes of the endocrine pancreas and the comparative endocrinology of islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) of fish are not well described in the literature. This study describes the endocrine pancreasof one teleostean fish. Ten captive Atlantic wolffish (Anarhichas lupus)from the Montreal Biodome were submitted for necropsy and their pancreata were collected. RESULTS Grossly, all the fish pancreata examined contained 1-3 nodules of variable diameter (1-8 mm). Microscopically, the nodules were uniform, highly cellular, and composed of polygonal to elongated cells. Immunofluorescence for pancreatic hormones was performed. The nodules were immunoreactive for insulin most prominent centrally, but with IAPP and glucagon only in the periphery of the nodules. Exocrine pancreas was positive for chromogranin A. Not previously recognized in fish, IAPP immunoreactivity occurred in α, glucagon-containing, cells and did not co-localize with insulin in β cells. The islet tissues were devoid of amyloid deposits. IAPP DNA sequencing was performed to compare the sequence among teleost fish and the potency to form amyloid fibrils. In silico analysis of the amino acid sequences 19-34 revealed that it was not amyloidogenic. CONCLUSIONS Amyloidosis of pancreatic islets would not be expected as a spontaneous disease in the Atlantic wolffish. Our study underlines that this teleost fish is a potential candidate for pancreatic xenograft research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica S Fortin
- Département de pathologie et de microbiologie, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Ariane Santamaria-Bouvier
- Département des sciences cliniques, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Stéphane Lair
- Département des sciences cliniques, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - André D Dallaire
- Département de pathologie et de microbiologie, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Marie-Odile Benoit-Biancamano
- Département de pathologie et de microbiologie, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Houde M, Giraudo M, Douville M, Bougas B, Couture P, De Silva AO, Spencer C, Lair S, Verreault J, Bernatchez L, Gagnon C. A multi-level biological approach to evaluate impacts of a major municipal effluent in wild St. Lawrence River yellow perch (Perca flavescens). Sci Total Environ 2014; 497-498:307-318. [PMID: 25137380 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.07.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2014] [Revised: 07/07/2014] [Accepted: 07/15/2014] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The development of integrated ecotoxicological approaches is of great interest in the investigation of global concerns such as impacts of municipal wastewater effluents on aquatic ecosystems. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of a major wastewater municipal effluent on fish using a multi-level biological approach, from gene transcription and enzyme activities to histological changes. Yellow perch (Perca flavescens) were selected based on their wide distribution, their commercial and recreational importance, and the availability of a customized microarray. Yellow perch were sampled upstream of a major municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and 4 km and 10 km downstream from its point of discharge in the St. Lawrence River (Quebec, Canada). Concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and metals/trace elements in whole body homogenates were comparable to those from other industrialized regions of the world. Genomic results indicated that the transcription level of 177 genes was significantly different (p<0.024) between exposed and non-exposed fish. Among these genes, 38 were found to be differentially transcribed at both downstream sites. Impacted genes were associated with biological processes and molecular functions such as immunity, detoxification, lipid metabolism/energy homeostasis (e.g., peroxisome proliferation), and retinol metabolism suggesting impact of WWTP on these systems. Moreover, antioxidant enzyme activities were more elevated in perch collected at the 4 km site. Biomarkers of lipid metabolism, biosynthetic activity, and aerobic capacities were significantly lower (p<0.05) in fish residing near the outfall of the effluent. Histological examination of the liver indicated no differences between sites. Correlations between PFAS, PBDE, and metal/trace element tissue concentrations and markers of peroxisomal proliferation, oxidative stress, and retinoid metabolism were found at the gene and cellular levels. Present results suggest that relating transcriptomic analyses to phenotypic responses is important to better understand impacts of environmental contamination on wild fish populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Magali Houde
- Centre Saint-Laurent, Environment Canada, 105 McGill Street, Montreal, QC H2Y 2E7, Canada.
| | - Maeva Giraudo
- Centre Saint-Laurent, Environment Canada, 105 McGill Street, Montreal, QC H2Y 2E7, Canada.
| | - Mélanie Douville
- Centre Saint-Laurent, Environment Canada, 105 McGill Street, Montreal, QC H2Y 2E7, Canada.
| | - Bérénice Bougas
- Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmes, Université Laval, 1030, avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Eau Terre Environnement, 490 de la Couronne, Québec, QC G1K 9A9, Canada.
| | - Patrice Couture
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Eau Terre Environnement, 490 de la Couronne, Québec, QC G1K 9A9, Canada.
| | - Amila O De Silva
- Canada Centre for Inland Waters, Environment Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, P.O. Box 5050, Burlington, ON L7R 4A6, Canada.
| | - Christine Spencer
- Canada Centre for Inland Waters, Environment Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, P.O. Box 5050, Burlington, ON L7R 4A6, Canada.
| | - Stéphane Lair
- Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages, Université de Montréal, C.P. 5000, St-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 7C6, Canada.
| | - Jonathan Verreault
- Centre de recherche en toxicologie de l'environnement (TOXEN), Département des sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-ville, Montreal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada.
| | - Louis Bernatchez
- Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmes, Université Laval, 1030, avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
| | - Christian Gagnon
- Centre Saint-Laurent, Environment Canada, 105 McGill Street, Montreal, QC H2Y 2E7, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Abstract
Microfilariae are considered non-pathogenic in wild birds. The objective of the current communication is to report host reactions to microfilarial infection of unusual intensity in emaciated boreal owls (Aegolius funereus). An unusually large number of boreal owls (n = 21) were submitted to the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Center-Quebec Region for post-mortem examination during the winter of 2009. Nineteen out of 21 birds were considered emaciated based on atrophy of adipose tissue and pectoral muscles and suboptimal weight. A microscopic examination of a subset of nine owls revealed the presence of microfilariae in six owls. Three of the birds with a heavy parasite burden had masses of larval nematodes obstructing large vessels of the lungs. The emaciated owls are believed to have died from starvation due to a cyclic decrease in prey abundance in the boreal forest. This cycle also drives winter movements of boreal owls to urbanized areas of southern Quebec, presumably accounting for the large number of birds submitted in 2009. In the most severely infected owls, the extreme microfilarial burden might have caused an alteration in circulatory dynamics, gaseous exchanges and also probably some metabolic cost. Consequently, microfilariae could have significantly contributed to the death of some of these owls.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sylvain Larrat
- Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Center/Centre Québécois sur la Santé des Animaux Sauvages, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, St. Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 2M2, Canada
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
46
|
Begeman L, St Leger JA, Blyde DJ, Jauniaux TP, Lair S, Lovewell G, Raverty S, Seibel H, Siebert U, Staggs SL, Martelli P, Keesler RI. Intestinal volvulus in cetaceans. Vet Pathol 2012; 50:590-6. [PMID: 23150643 DOI: 10.1177/0300985812465327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Intestinal volvulus was recognized as the cause of death in 18 cetaceans, including 8 species of toothed whales (suborder Odontoceti). Cases originated from 11 institutions from around the world and included both captive (n = 9) and free-ranging (n = 9) animals. When the clinical history was available (n = 9), animals consistently demonstrated acute dullness 1 to 5 days prior to death. In 3 of these animals (33%), there was a history of chronic gastrointestinal illness. The pathological findings were similar to those described in other animal species and humans, and consisted of intestinal volvulus and a well-demarcated segment of distended, congested, and edematous intestine with gas and bloody fluid contents. Associated lesions included congested and edematous mesentery and mesenteric lymph nodes, and often serofibrinous or hemorrhagic abdominal effusion. The volvulus involved the cranial part of the intestines in 85% (11 of 13). Potential predisposing causes were recognized in most cases (13 of 18, 72%) but were variable. Further studies investigating predisposing factors are necessary to help prevent occurrence and enhance early clinical diagnosis and management of the condition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L Begeman
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584 CL Utrecht, Netherlands.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
47
|
Larrat S, Simard M, Lair S, Bélanger D, Proulx JF. From science to action and from action to science: the Nunavik Trichinellosis Prevention Program. Int J Circumpolar Health 2012; 71:18595. [PMID: 22789519 PMCID: PMC3417525 DOI: 10.3402/ijch.v71i0.18595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2011] [Revised: 03/07/2012] [Accepted: 03/13/2012] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives During the 1980s, walrus-meat consumption caused infections with the parasite Trichinella nativa in Nunavik inhabitants. In response to these events, stakeholders set up the community-based Nunavik Trichinellosis Prevention Program (NTPP). The objectives of the present communication are to review the NTPP, describe how science and action were interwoven in its development and identify its assets and limitations. Study design Descriptive study. Methods The NTPP relies on a pooled digestion assay of tongue samples taken from each harvested walrus. The public health recommendations depend on the results of the analyses: infected walrus meat should be destroyed; parasite-free meat may be eaten raw or cooked. Results All communities involved in the walrus hunt participate in the NTPP and a high percentage of harvested walruses are included in the NTPP. Infected animals account for 2.9% of the walruses tested (20/694) since 1992. The NTPP permitted the early management of a trichinellosis event in 1997. Since then, it prevented the new occurrence of outbreaks related to walruses hunted by Nunavimmiut. Conclusions The absence of recent major outbreaks of trichinellosis in Nunavik may reasonably be attributed to the NTPP. The success of the program stands on many facilitating factors such as the nature of the disease and its source, the existence of an efficient analytic method, the strong involvement of the different partners including direct resource users, as well as the comprehensive bidirectional science-to-action approach that has been followed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sylvain Larrat
- Centre Québécois sur la Santé des Animaux Sauvages/Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Center, Saint-Hyacinthe Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
48
|
Larrat S, Marvin J, Lair S. Safety and efficacy of emamectin benzoate to treat Anguillicoloides crassus (Kuwahara, Niimi & Itagaki) infections in American eels, Anguilla rostrata (Lesueur). J Fish Dis 2012; 35:467-470. [PMID: 22486309 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2761.2012.01366.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- S Larrat
- Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
49
|
Larrat S, Marvin J, Lair S. Safety and efficacy of emamectin benzoate to treat Anguillicoloides crassus (Kuwahara, Niimi & Itagaki) infections in American eels, Anguilla rostrata (Lesueur). J Fish Dis 2012. [PMID: 22486309 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2761.2012.01366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- S Larrat
- Centre québécois sur la santé des animaux sauvages, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
50
|
Desmarchelier M, Troncy E, Fitzgerald G, Lair S. Analgesic effects of meloxicam administration on postoperative orthopedic pain in domestic pigeons (Columba livia). Am J Vet Res 2012; 73:361-7. [DOI: 10.2460/ajvr.73.3.361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
|