Lungworms are a common finding in seals and fur seals around the world. However, from existing records, the biogeographical distribution of filaroid helminths appears to be restricted, and these parasites are endemic in only certain areas and species, mainly in the Northern Hemisphere. The occurrence of infection in pinniped species in the Southern Hemisphere is scarce. The objective of this work is to verify the prevalence of lungworms in Arctocephalus australis in waters off the southern coast of Brazil. Twenty subadult specimens of A. australis found recently dead on the southern coast of Brazil were necropsied and their lungs were examined. Parasitic cysts were found in only one specimen (prevalence of 5%). The helminths were morphologically identified as Parafilaroides normani (Metastrongyloidea: Filaroididae). This helminth species has been reported in pinnipeds from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. This is the first record of P. normani in A. australis and for the western South Atlantic, providing additional data regarding the biogeographic distribution of the parasite.

The aim of this work was to perform a systematic study to detect and quantify the digenetic trematode infections in South American sea lions from the southern Brazilian coast. Twenty-four South American sea lions, Otaria flavescens (Carnivora: Otaridae), were found dead along the coast of Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, between June 2010 and September of 2011. Two trematode species were found in the intestines of O. flavescens, i.e., Stephanoprora uruguayense (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) and Ascocotyle (Phagicola) longa (Digenea: Heterophyidae). Ascocotyle (P.) longa reached a prevalence of 33.3% and mean intensity of 248,500, whereas S. uruguayense showed a prevalence of 4.2% and mean intensity of 202. The 2 trematode species infecting sea lions were likely transmitted by feeding on mullets, Mugil platanus, that commonly harbor heterophyid metacercariae. The present work is the first report of digenetic trematodes infecting O. flavescens in Brazil. The high prevalence and mean intensity values of the 2 trematode species infecting sea lions in the present study suggest caution in human consumption of mullets and other fish, which can be infected with the metacercariae of these trematodes known to have zoonotic potential.

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At the interface between public health and marine ecology, there is a knowledge gap concerning the extent to which the carbon that enters sandy sediments when large biomass marine mammals decompose changes the sediment, bringing risks to human health. This study aimed to: 1) identify the fungal microbiota present in decomposing carcasses of South American sea lions (Otaria flavescens) found on beaches on the coast of southern Brazil, and 2) verify the extent to which the fungal microbiota are dispersed in the sandy sediment around the carcasses, presenting risks to human health. Samples of the corporal surface of 10 carcasses of O. flavescens deposited on beaches along the southern coast of Brazil, in a moderate decomposition state, as well as of the sand around the carcasses, were collected for analysis. Fungal microbiota was identified to genus level based on their macro-and micro-morphological characteristics.From carcasses were identified: Trichoderma, Aspergillus, Penicilium, Cladosporium and Fusarium. Aspergillus and Cladosporium were the most frequently taxa in the sand around the carcasses and in the control samples. Furthermore, their distribution around the carcasses was not compatible with the findings of fungi from the respective parts of the body, suggesting that these microorganisms were of a marine origin, and that their presence in the sand is not exclusively associated with the presence of the carcasses. The presence of Aspergillus in the carcass and sandy sediment reaffirms its regional distribution and the human risk due to dispersion of the spores from carcasses caused by wind.