Dolphin Morbillivirus Epizootic Resurgence, Mediterranean Sea

Raga, Juan Antonio; Banyard, Ashley C.; Domingo, Mariano; Corteyn, Mandy; Bressem, Marie‐Françoise Van; Fernández, Mercedes; Aznar, Francisco Javier; Barrett, Thomas

doi:10.3201/eid1403.071230

Cited by 125 publications

(139 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Therefore, certain populations of GoM dolphins may have sufficiently high herd immunity and may be protected from severe outbreaks such as has been seen along the Atlantic coast. Following an outbreak, the prevalence of morbillivirus positive titers, as measured by serology, will decrease over time if there is no new exposure or limited exposure for the population (Duignan et al 1996, Raga et al 2008, Rowles et al 2011. For example, during the outbreak of DMV in striped dolphins Stenella coeruleoalba from the Mediterranean Sea in the early 1990s, seropositivity decreased from 100% during the outbreak to 50% after 5 yr (Van Bressem et al 2014).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of morbillivirus exposure in cetaceans from the northern Gulf of Mexico 2010-2014

Fauquier

Litz

Sánchez³

et al. 2017

Endang. Species. Res.

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The potential role of morbillivirus was evaluated in the deaths of >1100 bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus and other small cetaceans that stranded from February 2010 through July 2014, during the northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM) unusual mortality event (UME). Morbillivirus analysis was carried out on 142 live or freshly dead cetaceans and results were combined with samples from 102 live, free-ranging bottlenose dolphins sampled during capture-release health assessments conducted from 2011 to 2014. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for morbillivirus showed that 9.9% (14/142) of the stranded cetaceans and 1% (1/83) of the free-ranging live dolphins were positive for dolphin morbilliviral (DMV) RNA. In contrast, previous DMV dolphin die-offs had DMV detectable by PCR in 61 to 97% of animals tested. Histologic findings consistent with morbillivirus infection, including lymphoid depletion, bronchointerstitial pneumonia, syncytial cell formation, or meningoencephalitis, were found in 6.6% (9/136) of the cetaceans that underwent histologic examinations. Serological analysis using a virus neutralization assay found that 29% (5/17) of live stranded and 23% (23/102) of live free-ranging bottlenose dolphins had titers of 64 or greater for cetacean morbillivirus, indicating prior but not necessarily recent exposure to morbillivirus. Current findings suggest that DMV infection, although present in the northern GoM, was sporadic and occurred at low levels and therefore was not the primary cause of the northern GoM UME. Confirmation of DMV infections and existing DMV titers demonstrate continued exposure to morbillivirus among northern GoM cetaceans since the first detection of this virus in the early 1990s.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of morbillivirus exposure in cetaceans from the northern Gulf of Mexico 2010-2014

Fauquier

Litz

Sánchez³

et al. 2017

Endang. Species. Res.

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“…To our knowledge no study has ever evaluated the effect of an epizootic on the survival rate of a ceta cean population. In 1990− 1991, an outbreak of the dolphin mor billivirus resulted in thousands of striped dolphins Stenella coeruleoalba stranding dead on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea (Agui lar & Raga 1993, Van Bressem et al 1993, Fernández et al 2008, Raga et al 2008. The effects of this epizootic could not be evaluated, and nothing is known about how it influenced survival rates of the Mediter ranean population of this species.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The effects of this epizootic could not be evaluated, and nothing is known about how it influenced survival rates of the Mediter ranean population of this species. In 2006− 2007, a second outbreak affected not only striped dolphins (Raga et al 2008) but also long-finned pilot whales Globicephala melas (Fernández et al 2008). The epizootic lasted from October 2006 to April 2007, during which 27 long-finned pilot whales were found stranded on the south coast of Spain, beginning with 10 animals stranding in the Strait of Gibraltar, expanding north-east along the coast of the Alboran Sea and ending at the Balearic Islands (Fernández et al 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of a morbillivirus epizootic on long-finned pilot whales Globicephala melas in Spanish Mediterranean waters

Wierucka¹,

Verborgh²,

Meade³

et al. 2014

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Long-finned pilot whales Globicephala melas are a commonly encountered species in the Mediterranean Sea. In 2006−2007, an outbreak of the dolphin morbillivirus in the Western Mediterranean resulted in increased mortality of this species. The aim of this study was to determine whether survival rates differed between clusters of Spanish Mediterranean pilot whales, and how the epizootic influenced these survival rates. Photo-identification surveys were conducted between 1992 and 2009. Association indices were used to define clusters of individuals that associate with each other more frequently than with others. Based on a Cormack-JollySeber survival rate model, apparent survival rate estimates varied from 0.821 to 0.995 over 11 clusters for the 1992−2009 period. When the effect of the morbillivirus outbreak was modeled, 3 clusters with distinctly lower survival rates from previous models presented lower estimates after the outbreak (survival rate dropped from 0.919 [95% CI: 0.854−0.956] to 0.547 [95% CI: 0.185−0.866]), suggesting a negative influence of the epizootic or other unknown additive factors on certain clusters.

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“…PMV also killed an unknown number of Phocoena phocoena along the coasts of the British Isles and The Netherlands in 1988 to 1990 , Kennedy 1998. DMV was responsible for lethal epidemics in the Mediterranean Sea in 1990to 1992and again in 2006) (Domingo et al 1990, Fernán-dez et al 2008, Raga et al 2008.…”

Section: Cetacean Morbillivirusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emerging infectious diseases in cetaceans worldwide and the possible role of environmental stressors

Bressem¹,

Raga²,

Guardo³

et al. 2009

Dis. Aquat. Org.

280

270

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We reviewed prominent emerging infectious diseases of cetaceans, examined their potential to impact populations, re-assessed zoonotic risk and evaluated the role of environmental stressors. Cetacean morbilliviruses and papillomaviruses as well as Brucella spp. and Toxoplasma gondii are thought to interfere with population abundance by inducing high mortalities, lowering reproductive success or by synergistically increasing the virulence of other diseases. Severe cases of lobomycosis and lobomycosis-like disease (LLD) may contribute to the death of some dolphins. The zoonotic hazard of marine mammal brucellosis and toxoplasmosis may have been underestimated, attributable to frequent misdiagnoses and underreporting, particularly in developing countries and remote areas where carcass handling without protective gear and human consumption of fresh cetacean products are commonplace. Environmental factors seem to play a role in the emergence and pathogenicity of morbillivirus epidemics, lobomycosis/LLD, toxoplasmosis, poxvirus-associated tattoo skin disease and, in harbour porpoises, infectious diseases of multifactorial aetiology. Inshore and estuarine cetaceans incur higher risks than pelagic cetaceans due to habitats often severely altered by anthropogenic factors such as chemical and biological contamination, direct and indirect fisheries interactions, traumatic injuries from vessel collisions and climate change.

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Dolphin Morbillivirus Epizootic Resurgence, Mediterranean Sea

Abstract: In July 2007, >100 striped dolphins, Stenella coeruleoalba , were found dead along the coast of the Spanish Mediterranean. Of 10 dolphins tested, 7 were positive for a virus strain closely related to the dolphin morbillivirus that was isolated during a previous epizootic in 1990.

Cited by 125 publications

References 13 publications

Evaluation of morbillivirus exposure in cetaceans from the northern Gulf of Mexico 2010-2014

Evaluation of morbillivirus exposure in cetaceans from the northern Gulf of Mexico 2010-2014

Effects of a morbillivirus epizootic on long-finned pilot whales Globicephala melas in Spanish Mediterranean waters

Emerging infectious diseases in cetaceans worldwide and the possible role of environmental stressors

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