Dolphin Morbillivirus Associated with a Mass Stranding of Sperm Whales, Italy

Mazzariol, Sandro; Centelleghe, Cinzia; Provvido, Andrea Di; Renzo, Ludovica Di; Cardeti, G.; Cersini, Antonella; Fichi, Gianluca; Petrella, A.; Francesco, Cristina Esmeralda Di; Mignone, Walter; Casalone, Cristina; Guardo, Giovanni Di

doi:10.3201/eid2301.160239

Cited by 26 publications

(35 citation statements)

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“…In contrast to host-specific pathogens belonging to the same genus, such as Measles Virus, RPV and PPRV, the broad and expanding host range of DMV, testified by the present report and by numerous cases of DMV infection reported in the last 5 years in the Mediterranean Sea ( Mazzariol et al, 2013 , 2016 , 2017 ; Centelleghe et al, 2016 ), being additional corroborated by the results of recent sero-epidemiological surveys ( Profeta et al, 2015 ), appears to show a number of similarity with the behavior of CDV, despite the low phylogenetic and genetic homology degree between these two morbilliviruses ( Van Bressem et al, 2014 ). Spill-over events at the end epidemic outbreaks or during endemic infection’s condition, resulting from interactions between CDV-infected dogs and wild carnivore and pinniped species, have led to mass mortalities ( Di Guardo et al, 2005 ; Beineke et al, 2015 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 44%

“…Similarly to wild carnivores for CDV, the species recently reported to be susceptible to morbilliviral infection, such as that herein described, could subsequently act as reservoirs for DMV, thus being a possible source of spillback events involving naive population of classic hosts and supporting the presence and circulation of DMV in the Mediterranean area ( Beineke et al, 2015 ; Mazzariol et al, 2016 , 2017 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 58%

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Dolphin Morbillivirus in a Cuvier’s Beaked Whale (Ziphius cavirostris), Italy

et al. 2017

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Dolphin morbillivirus (DMV) has caused several mortality events in Mediterranean striped (Stenella coeruleoalba) and bottlenose (Tursiops truncatus) dolphins populations since 19; in the last 5 years, the virus was reported to infect new hosts in this basin, such as fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), and even a harbor seal (Phoca vitulina). Very recently, a calf Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) calf stranded on the Southern Italian coastline with mild pathological findings suggestive of morbilliviral infection, received the first confirmation of DMV infection in this species by biomolecular evidences on lung tissue. This new cross-species infection report, along with 19% of the cetaceans specimens examined by the Italian Stranding Network being found positive to DMV, support the hypothesis of an endemic circulation of this virus among Mediterranean cetaceans.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 44%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 58%

Dolphin Morbillivirus in a Cuvier’s Beaked Whale (Ziphius cavirostris), Italy

et al. 2017

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“…Similar Th2 immune response was observed in other studies that evaluated the expression of cytokines in different cetacean tissues ( Jaber et al, 2010 ). A variety of infections caused by intracellular pathogens in cetaceans have been reported and may be associated with the mass stranding events of cetaceans ( Cvetnic et al, 2016 ; Domingo et al, 1990 ; Domingo et al, 1992 ; Dubey et al, 2007 ; Dubey et al, 2008 ; Mazzariol et al, 2016 ; Mazzariol et al, 2017 ). In addition, previous studies suggested that Ag contamination exists in all aspects of the marine ecosystem, and cetaceans may have been negatively affected by Ag contamination ( Becker et al, 1995 ; Caceres-Saez et al, 2013 ; Chen et al, 2017 ; Dehn et al, 2006 ; Kunito et al, 2004 ; Li et al, 2018a ; Mendez-Fernandez et al., 2014 ; Reed et al, 2015 ; Rosa et al, 2008 ; Seixas et al, 2009 ; Woshner et al, 2001 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Th2 cytokine bias induced by silver nanoparticles in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)

Wang

Chang

et al. 2018

PeerJ

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BackgroundSilver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been widely used in many commercial products due to their excellent antibacterial ability. The AgNPs are released into the environment, gradually accumulate in the ocean, and may affect animals at high trophic levels, such as cetaceans and humans, via the food chain. Hence, the negative health impacts caused by AgNPs in cetaceans are of concern. Cytokines play a major role in the modulation of immune system and can be classified into two types: Th1 and Th2. Th1/Th2 balance can be evaluated by the ratios of their polarizing cytokines (i.e., interferon [IFN]-γ/Interleukin [IL]-4), and animals with imbalanced Th1/Th2 response may become more susceptible to certain kinds of infection. Therefore, the present study evaluated the in vitro cytokine responses of cetacean peripheral blood mononuclear cells (cPBMCs) to 20 nm citrate-AgNPs (C-AgNP20) by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).MethodsBlood samples were collected from six captive common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). The cPBMCs were isolated and utilized for evaluating the in vitro cytokine responses. The cytokines evaluated included IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-12, interferon (IFN)-γ, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. The geometric means of two housekeeping genes (HKGs), glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and β2-microglobulin (B2M), of each sample were determined and used to normalize the mRNA expression levels of target genes.ResultsThe ratio of late apoptotic/necrotic cells of cPBMCs significantly increased with or without concanavalin A (ConA) stimulation after 24 h of 10 µg/ml C-AgNP20 treatment. At 4 h of culture, the mRNA expression level of IL-10 was significantly decreased with 1 µg/ml C-AgNP20 treatment. At 24 h of culture with 1 µg/ml C-AgNP20, the mRNA expression levels of all cytokines were significantly decreased, with the exceptions of IL-4 and IL-10. The IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio was significantly decreased at 24 h of culture with 1 µg/ml C-AgNP20 treatment, and the IL-12/IL-4 ratio was significantly decreased at 4 or 24 h of culture with 0.1 or 1 µg/ml C-AgNP20 treatment, respectively. Furthermore, the mRNA expression level of TNF-α was significantly decreased by 1 µg/ml C-AgNP20 after 24 h of culture.DiscussionThe present study demonstrated that the sublethal dose of C-AgNP20 (≤1 µg/ml) had an inhibitory effect on the cytokine mRNA expression levels of cPBMCs with the evidence of Th2 cytokine bias and significantly decreased the mRNA expression level of TNF-α. Th2 cytokine bias is associated with enhanced immunity against parasites but decreased immunity to intracellular microorganisms. TNF-α is a contributing factor for the inflammatory response against the infection of intracellular pathogens. In summary, our data indicate that C-AgNP20 suppresses the cellular immune response and thereby increases the susceptibility of cetaceans to infection by intracellular microorganisms.

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“…In this respect, while a CeMV isolate from the Southern Hemisphere that was identified almost simultaneously in Guyana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) along the Atlantic coast of Brazil as well as in Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) from Western Australia [15-17] appears to be the one most closely related to RPV among the 5 hitherto defined CeMV strains [3], it should be once again recalled that fatal cases of infection caused by Dolphin Morbillivirus (DMV, a CeMV strain) have been recently reported in Italy among Eurasian otters, an endangered wild mammal species with a mixed water-terrestrial ecology [7]. Furthermore, starting from 2011, DMV has shown a considerable expansion of its host range in the Western Mediterranean Sea, with lethal episodes of infection having been reported in fin whales as well as among mass-stranded sperm whales [4,5,18], while deadly cases of DMV infection have also been described in a Cuvier's beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) individual [19] and, surprisingly, even in a captive harbour seal [6].…”

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confidence: 99%

Cetacean morbillivirus, a journey from land to sea and viceversa

Guardo¹,

Mazzariol²

2019

Preprint

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Cetacean Morbillivirus, the most relevant pathogen impacting the health and conservation of cetaceans worldwide, has shown in recent years an increased tendency to cross “interspecies barriers”, thereby giving rise to disease and mortality outbreaks in free-ranging dolphins and whales. This "Personal View" deals with the evolutionary “trajectories” of this viral pathogen, likely originating from Rinderpest Virus, along with its "journey" from land to sea (and viceversa), mimicking that of cetaceans' terrestrial ancestors.

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Dolphin Morbillivirus Associated with a Mass Stranding of Sperm Whales, Italy

Cited by 26 publications

References 10 publications

Dolphin Morbillivirus in a Cuvier’s Beaked Whale (Ziphius cavirostris), Italy

Dolphin Morbillivirus in a Cuvier’s Beaked Whale (Ziphius cavirostris), Italy

Th2 cytokine bias induced by silver nanoparticles in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)

Cetacean morbillivirus, a journey from land to sea and viceversa

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