Occurrence of Vertebral Osteophytosis in a Museum Sample of White-Beaked Dolphins (Lagenorhynchus Albirostris) From Danish Waters

Galatius, Anders; Sonne, Christian; Kinze, Carl Christian; Dietz, Runé; Jensen, Jens–Erik Beck

doi:10.7589/0090-3558-45.1.19

Cited by 18 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…The dorsal and transverse processes of the atlas were also severely affected together with the area of the occipital bone that forms the margin of the foramen magnum. A broad spectrum of similar joint bone lesions have been described in white-beaked dolphins, closely related species of white-sided dolphins (Galatius et al, 2009); however, in these animals the link with brucellosis was not straightforward and unambiguously proven. Brucella has been also isolated from the spine and vertebrae in harbor porpoises, again stressing the chronic nature of the disease (Maquart et al, 2009a).…”

Section: Brucella Induced Pathologymentioning

confidence: 77%

“…ceti isolated from lesions in the bones and joints of cetaceans (Foster et al, 2002; Dagleish et al, 2007; Galatius et al, 2009; Maquart et al, 2009a; González-Barrientos et al, 2010). The first case of a bone lesion linked to cetacean brucellosis was from a harbor porpoise displaying a discospondylitis spinal wound of no clinical significance, and therefore, death was connected to a different cause (Foster et al, 2002).…”

Section: Brucella Induced Pathologymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Brucella ceti and Brucellosis in Cetaceans

Guzmán-Verri¹,

González-Barrientos²,

Hernández-Mora³

et al. 2012

Front. Cell. Inf. Microbio.

129

178

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Since the first case of brucellosis detected in a dolphin aborted fetus, an increasing number of Brucella ceti isolates has been reported in members of the two suborders of cetaceans: Mysticeti and Odontoceti. Serological surveys have shown that cetacean brucellosis may be distributed worldwide in the oceans. Although all B. ceti isolates have been included within the same species, three different groups have been recognized according to their preferred host, bacteriological properties, and distinct genetic traits: B. ceti dolphin type, B. ceti porpoise type, and B. ceti human type. It seems that B. ceti porpoise type is more closely related to B. ceti human isolates and B. pinnipedialis group, while B. ceti dolphin type seems ancestral to them. Based on comparative phylogenetic analysis, it is feasible that the B. ceti ancestor radiated in a terrestrial artiodactyl host close to the Raoellidae family about 58 million years ago. The more likely mode of transmission of B. ceti seems to be through sexual intercourse, maternal feeding, aborted fetuses, placental tissues, vertical transmission from mother to the fetus or through fish or helminth reservoirs. The B. ceti dolphin and porpoise types seem to display variable virulence in land animal models and low infectivity for humans. However, brucellosis in some dolphins and porpoises has been demonstrated to be a severe chronic disease, displaying significant clinical and pathological signs related to abortions, male infertility, neurobrucellosis, cardiopathies, bone and skin lesions, strandings, and death.

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Section: Brucella Induced Pathologymentioning

confidence: 77%

Section: Brucella Induced Pathologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Brucella ceti and Brucellosis in Cetaceans

Guzmán-Verri¹,

González-Barrientos²,

Hernández-Mora³

et al. 2012

Front. Cell. Inf. Microbio.

129

178

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…The condition is also known as discarthrosis, spondylosis deformans or spondylitis deformans. Similar lesions have been reported in the Guiana dolphin (Furtado & Simões-Lopes 1999, the white-beaked dolphin (Van Bree & Nijssen 1964, Kompanje 1995a, Galatius et al 2009), the harbor porpoise (Kinze 1986), the bottlenose dolphin (Furtado & Simões-Lopes 1999, Kompanje 1999), the false killer whale, the short-finned pilot whale Globicephala macrorhynchus, the beluga Delphinapterus leucas, the northern bottlenose whale Hyperoodon ampullatus, Hector's beaked whale Mesoplodon hectori and True's beaked whale Mesoplodon mirus (Kompanje 1999), and the rough-toothed dolphin Steno bredanensis, the Atlantic spotted dolphin Stenella front alis, the clymene dolphin Stenella clymene and the long-beaked common dolphin Delphinus capensis (Furtado & Simões-Lopes 1999).Bilateral, erosive and remodeling lesions on subchondral rib surfaces were observed in 13 ribs of Dis Aquat Org 101: 145-158, 2012 154 …”

mentioning

confidence: 49%

Skeletal abnormalities in humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae stranded in the Brazilian breeding ground

Groch

Marcondes²,

Colosio³

et al. 2012

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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Skeletal tissues of 49 humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae that stranded between 2002 and 2011 along the Abrolhos Bank seashore and its adjacent waters in Brazil were studied. Twelve (24.5%) animals presented pathological changes in one or more bones. Degenerative changes and developmental malformations were most frequent (10.2% each), followed by inflammatory/infectious and traumatic lesions (8.2% each). Infectious diseases led to severe lesions of the caudal vertebrae of 2 whales. In one of these individuals, the lesions involved 6 caudal vertebrae, leading to ankylosis of 3 vertebrae. Degenerative changes were observed in the vertebral columns of 3 animals, involving the joints of 13 ribs of 1 individual, and in the humerus of 1 whale. Traumatic lesions, such as osseous callus in the ribs, were observed in 4 animals. In 1 whale, the rib showed severe osteomyelitis, possibly resulting from the infection of multiple fractures. Developmental abnormalities such as spina bifida on 3 cervical vertebrae of 1 whale, fusion of spinal processes on thoracic vertebrae of 1 individual and fusion of the first 2 ribs unilaterally or bilaterally in 4 animals were found. Chronic infectious conditions found in the axial skeleton may have restrained spinal mobility and had detrimental effects on the general health of the animals, contributing to stranding and death. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic study on skeletal lesions in stranded humpback whales.KEY WORDS: Cetacean · Skeletal pathology · Infectious disease · Osteomyelitis · Spondylodiscitis · Degenerative disease · Spondyloarthrosis · Developmental abnormality Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherDis Aquat Org 101: [145][146][147][148][149][150][151][152][153][154][155][156][157][158] 2012 of the animal. However, information on skeletal abnormalities in humpback whales is scarce: 5 single cases have been reported (Stede 1994, Paterson & Van Dyck 1996, Kompanje 1999, Félix et al. 2007, Hellier et al. 2011. Stede (1994) reported osteoperiostitis ossificans hypertrophicans in the caudal vertebra of a humpback whale calf from Germany. Paterson & Van Dyck (1996) described a humpback whale fetus from Australia with injuries consistent with trauma during parturition, such as bilaterally fractured ribs and superficial focally extensive cystic osseous lesions associated with periosteal new bone formation in the supra-orbital region. Hellier et al. (2011) reported the presence of a remodeled lesion ventrally in the maxilla, possibly related to trauma to the baleen plates and/or adjacent soft tissue in a 13.5-m-long humpback whale. The animal also presented bony bridging in the left aspect of the neural arches of 2 cervical vertebrae, and multiple localized areas of reactive bone growth in the vertebral column (Hellier et al. 2011). Spondylo arthritis was suspected to occur in caudal vertebrae of a specimen from Denmark (Kompanje 1999). Severe infectious spondylitis affected 7 lumbar and 4 caudal vertebrae of a 7...

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“…Pathology of the vertebral column and associated structures reported in other cetaceans includes: (1) discarthrosis and zygarthrosis (spondylarthrosis or spondylosis deformans) (Paterson 1984, Kompanje 1995a,b, 1999, Kompanje & Garcia Hartmann 2001), (2) infectious spondylitis (spondylo-osteomyelitis) (Kompanje 1995b, 1999, Sweeny et al 2005, Félix et al 2007), (3) spondyloarthritis (spondyloarthropathy) (Kompanje 1999, Rothschild 2005a,b, Galatius et al 2009), and (4) osteitis deformans (Sweeny et al 2005). To date, most of the described vertebral anomalies of cetaceans have been thought to be the result of degenerative processes associated with aging (spondylarthrosis) or to bacterial infection (spondylo-osteomyelitis) (Kompanje 1995b).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Morton 1978, Alexander et al 1989) and wild cetaceans (e.g. Kompanje 1995a,b, 1999, Berghan & Visser 2000, Kompanje & Garcia Hart-mann 2001, Sweeny et al 2005, Rothschild 2005a,b, Félix et al 2007, Galatius et al 2009, Groch et al 2012) from both baleen (Mysticeti) and toothed whales (Odontoceti). All reported bone or joint diseases described to date have been localized to the vertebral column and were shown or presumed to be degenerative, bacterial, or inflammatory in origin.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Severe soft tissue ossification in a southern right whale Eubalaena australis

Sala

Pozzi²,

McAloose³

et al. 2012

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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The carcass of a stranded southern right whale Eubalaena australis, discovered on the coast of Golfo Nuevo in Península Valdés, Argentina, exhibited extensive orthotopic and heterotopic ossification, osteochondroma-like lesions, and early degenerative joint disease. Extensive soft tissue ossification led to ankylosis of the axial skeleton in a pattern that, in many respects, appeared more similar to a disabling human genetic disorder, fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP), than to more common skeletal system diseases in cetaceans and other species. This is the first reported case of a FOP-like condition in a marine mammal and raises important questions about conserved mechanisms of orthotopic and heterotopic ossification in this clade.KEY WORDS: Baleen whale · Ankylosis · Joint disease · Orthotopic/heterotopic ossification · Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva · FOP Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherDis Aquat Org 102: [149][150][151][152][153][154][155][156] 2012 of SRW in Península Valdés. The SRWHMP conducts systematic beach surveys throughout the calving period when right whales are abundant (June through December) to locate and study beached whale carcasses. Between June 2003 and December 2011, the SRWHMP documented 489 SRW carcasses along the coasts of Península Valdés (V. J. Rowntree et al. unpubl. data). Of these, 12% were adult whales.Vertebral pathology has been widely documented in captive (e.g. Morton 1978, Alexander et al. 1989 and wild cetaceans (e.g. Kompanje 1995a,b, 1999, Berghan & Visser 2000, Kompanje & Garcia Hartmann 2001, Sweeny et al. 2005, Rothschild 2005a,b, Félix et al. 2007, Galatius et al. 2009, Groch et al. 2012) from both baleen (Mysticeti) and toothed whales (Odontoceti). All reported bone or joint diseases described to date have been localized to the vertebral column and were shown or presumed to be degenerative, bacterial, or inflammatory in origin. To date, widespread systemic bone disease has not been described in marine mammals. This work represents the first documented case of severe, generalized orthotopic and heterotopic ossification in a right whale. MATERIALS AND METHODSThe present study was conducted on a stranded adult male SRW Eubalaena australis found on 14 October 2003 on the coast of Golfo Nuevo (42°46' S, 64°15' W) in Península Valdés, Argentina. The whale was not necropsied when initially found due to logistical constraints. However, morphometric measurements were obtained at that time, and the whale was left to decompose. The skeletal remains of the animal were relocated the following year. Due to the bulk and weight of the carcass, the nearly complete ankylosis of the vertebrae (see 'Results'), and our inability to conduct a thorough pathological evaluation in situ, sections of affected vertebra were removed from the carcass on the beach. A bow saw and electric drill were used to obtain multiple bone samples from both healthy and diseased areas of each vertebra for further gross examination. Addit...

show abstract

Occurrence of Vertebral Osteophytosis in a Museum Sample of White-Beaked Dolphins (Lagenorhynchus Albirostris) From Danish Waters

Cited by 18 publications

References 14 publications

Brucella ceti and Brucellosis in Cetaceans

Brucella ceti and Brucellosis in Cetaceans

Skeletal abnormalities in humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae stranded in the Brazilian breeding ground

Severe soft tissue ossification in a southern right whale Eubalaena australis

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