Cetacean Morbillivirus and <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Co-infection in Mediterranean Monk Seal Pup, Italy

Petrella, A.; Mazzariol, Sandro; Iolanda, Padalino; G, Di Francesco; Casalone, Cristina; Carla, Grattarola; Guardo, Giovanni Di; Smoglica, Camilla; Centelleghe, Cinzia; Gili, Claudia

doi:10.3201/eid2704.204131

Cited by 6 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…6,7 CeMV infections were reported also in mammals other than cetaceans, including species with mixed aquatic-terrestrial ecology such as the common seal (Phoca vitulina), 8 the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), 9 and the endangered Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus). 10 The CeMV host range expansion mirrors the pattern observed for canine distemper virus (CDV) and phocine distemper virus (PDV), two other morbilliviruses infecting aquatic mammals that caused outbreaks among Lake Bajkal seals (Pusa siberica), Caspian seals (Pusa caspica), and North Sea common seals. 1 Given the uniqueness of cetacean and pinniped ecological niches, factors such as population density, migration, reproduction, and social interactions play key roles in keeping the virus circulating among individuals and in favoring its transmission between species.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 80%

“…In fact, as outbreaks caused by CeMV in cetaceans from both hemispheres show, the five, hitherto recognized viral strains (termed as CeMV‐1 to ‐5) display a high propensity for multi‐host transmission and trans‐oceanic spread 6,7 . CeMV infections were reported also in mammals other than cetaceans, including species with mixed aquatic‐terrestrial ecology such as the common seal ( Phoca vitulina ), 8 the Eurasian otter ( Lutra lutra ), 9 and the endangered Mediterranean monk seal ( Monachus monachus ) 10 . The CeMV host range expansion mirrors the pattern observed for canine distemper virus (CDV) and phocine distemper virus (PDV), two other morbilliviruses infecting aquatic mammals that caused outbreaks among Lake Bajkal seals ( Pusa siberica ), Caspian seals ( Pusa caspica ), and North Sea common seals 1 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Molecular signatures in cetacean morbillivirus and host species proteomes: Unveiling the evolutionary dynamics of an enigmatic pathogen?

Zinzula

Mazzariol

Guardo

2021

Microbiology and Immunology

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Cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV) infects marine mammals often causing a fatal respiratory and neurological disease. Recently, CeMV has expanded its geographic and host species range, with cases being reported worldwide among dolphins, whales, seals, and other aquatic mammalian species, and therefore has emerged as the most threatening nonanthropogenic factor affecting marine mammal's health and conservation. Extensive research efforts have aimed to understand CeMV epidemiology and ecology, however, the molecular mechanisms underlying its transmission and pathogenesis are still poorly understood. In particular, the field suffers from a knowledge gap on the structural and functional properties of CeMV proteins and their host interactors. Nevertheless, the body of scientific literature produced in recent years has inaugurated new investigational trends, driving future directions in CeMV molecular research. In this mini-review, the most recent literature has been summarized in the context of such research trends, and categorized into four priority research topics, such as (1) the interaction between CeMV glycoprotein and its host cell receptors across several species; (2) the CeMV molecular determinants responsible for different disease phenotype; (3) the host molecular determinants responsible for differential susceptibility to CeMV infection; (4) the CeMV molecular determinants responsible for difference virulence among circulating CeMV strains. Arguably, these are the most urgent topics that need to be investigated and that most promisingly will help to shed light on the details of CeMV evolutionary dynamics in the immediate future.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular signatures in cetacean morbillivirus and host species proteomes: Unveiling the evolutionary dynamics of an enigmatic pathogen?

Zinzula

Mazzariol

Guardo

2021

Microbiology and Immunology

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“…A necropsy was performed and revealed a co‐infection by Cetacean morbillivirus and Toxoplasma gondii that affected several internal organs (Mazzariol et al., 2021; Petrella et al., 2021).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Report on the brain of the monk seal (Monachus monachus, Hermann, 1779)

Graïc,

Mazzariol,

Casalone

et al. 2023

Anat Histol Embryol

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The Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus, Hermann, 1779) is an endangered species of pinniped endemic to few areas of the Mediterranean Sea. Extensive hunting and poaching over the last two centuries have rendered it a rare sight, scattered mainly in the Aegean Sea and the western coast of North Africa. In a rare event, a female monk seal calf stranded and died in southern Italy (Brindisi, Puglia). During due necropsy, the brain was extracted and fixed. The present report is the first of a monk seal brain. The features reported are remarkably typical of a true seal brain, with some specific characteristics. The brain cortical circonvolutions, main fissures and the external parts are described, and an EQ was calculated. Overall, this carnivore adapted to aquatic life shares some aspects of its neuroanatomy and physiology with other seemingly distant aquatic mammals.

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“…CeMV infects marine mammals. Infection with CeMV has been reported in various cetaceans in marine areas, and also in otters and seals 70–72 . Unlike other morbilliviruses, the epidemiological findings are unknown because the hosts are cetaceans that live in the ocean.…”

Section: Epidemiology Of Current Morbillivirus Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Infection with CeMV has been reported in various cetaceans in marine areas, and also in otters and seals. [70][71][72] Unlike other morbilliviruses, the epidemiological findings are unknown because the hosts are cetaceans that live in the ocean. Comparisons of identified phosphoprotein (P) gene partial sequences in CeMV strains have shown significant variation among certain strains, and CeMV is classified into subgroups.…”

Section: Cemvmentioning

confidence: 99%

Novel and classical morbilliviruses: Current knowledge of three divergent morbillivirus groups

Seki

Takeda

2022

Microbiology and Immunology

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Currently, seven species of morbillivirus have been classified. Six of these species (Measles morbillivirus, Rinderpest morbillivirus, Small ruminant morbillivirus, Canine morbillivirus, Phocine morbillivirus, and Cetacean morbillivirus) are highly infectious and cause serious systemic diseases in humans, livestock, domestic dogs, and wild animals. These species commonly use the host proteins signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM) and nectin-4 as receptors, and this usage contributes to their virulence. The seventh species (Feline morbillivirus: FeMV) is phylogenetically divergent from the six SLAM-using species. FeMV differs from the SLAM-using morbillivirus group in pathogenicity and infectivity, and is speculated to use non-SLAM receptors. Recently, novel species of morbilliviruses have been discovered in bats, rodents, and domestic pigs. Because the ability to use SLAM and nectin-4 is closely related to the infectivity and pathogenicity of morbilliviruses, investigation of the potential usage of these receptors is useful for estimating infectivity and pathogenicity. The SLAM-binding sites in the receptor-binding protein show high similarity among the SLAM-using morbilliviruses. This feature may help to estimate whether novel morbillivirus species can use SLAM as a receptor. A novel morbillivirus species isolated from wild mice diverged from the classified morbilliviruses in the phylogenetic tree, forming a third group separate from the SLAM-using morbillivirus group and FeMV. This suggests that the novel rodent morbillivirus may exhibit a different risk from the SLAM-using morbillivirus group, and analyses of its viral pathogenicity and infectivity toward humans are warranted.

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Cetacean Morbillivirus and Toxoplasma gondii Co-infection in Mediterranean Monk Seal Pup, Italy

Cited by 6 publications

References 9 publications

Molecular signatures in cetacean morbillivirus and host species proteomes: Unveiling the evolutionary dynamics of an enigmatic pathogen?

Molecular signatures in cetacean morbillivirus and host species proteomes: Unveiling the evolutionary dynamics of an enigmatic pathogen?

Report on the brain of the monk seal (Monachus monachus, Hermann, 1779)

Novel and classical morbilliviruses: Current knowledge of three divergent morbillivirus groups

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