Phocine Distemper in a Harp Seal (Phoca groenlandica) from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada

Abstract

The first case of phocine distemper in a seal from Canadian waters and the first case of clinical phocine distemper in a harp seal, Phoca groenlandica, is reported. A two-month-old female harp seal stranded on Prince Edward Island in May 1991. Significant clinical findings were lethargy and severe conjunctivitis. Pulmonary congestion was the main necropsy finding, and histological lesions included diffuse demyelinating nonsuppurative encephalitis and mild multifocal interstitial pneumonia. Acidophilic intracytoplasmic and intranuclear inclusions were present in cerebral neurons and astrocytes. Immunoperoxidase staining confirmed phocine distemper virus (PDV) antigen in the cytoplasm and nuclei of neurons, bronchiolar gland epithelium and transitional epithelium of the bladder. Infectivity titers of canine distemper virus (CDV) (Onderstpoort strain) and a morbillivirus isolated from a grey seal were significantly reduced by serum from the harp seal.

Neonatal Mortality in New Zealand Sea Lions (Phocarctos Hookeri ) at Sandy Bay, Enderby Island, Auckland Islands From 1998 to 2005

“…Phocid herpes viruses (PhHV-1 and PhHV-2) have been isolated from harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) neonates that died in a seal rehabilitation center from pneumonia or adrenal necrosis (Osterhaus et al, 1985;Gulland et al, 1997). Morbillivirus infection (phocine distemper virus) may also cause neonatal mortality in phocid seals but has not been reported in otariids (Daoust et al, 1993;Duignan et al, , 1995. Caliciviruses may be involved in abortion and neonatal death in California sea lions (Smith et al, 1979).…”

Serologic Survey for Brucella Spp., Phocid Herpesvirus-1, Phocid Herpesvirus-2, and Phocine Distemper Virus in Harbor Seals From Alaska, 1976–1999

“…Identical or closely-related morbilliviruses have been identified in recent years from several species on the Atlantic coast of North America, including harbor seal , harp seal (Daoust et al, 1993), walrus (Duignan et al, 1994), and ringed seal (Duignan et al, 1997).…”

Patologia comparada de cetáceos e pinípedes

“…Esta nova hipótese relaciona os grandes surtos induzidos por morbilivírus em cetáceos, à ocorrência deste tipo de encalhes (DAOUST et al, 1993;DOMINGO et al, 1992;DUIGNAN et al, 1992DUIGNAN et al, , 1995DUIGNAN et al, e 1997DUIGNAN, 1999;LIPSCOMB et al, 1994). A patogênese da infecção do vírus da cinomose focina é similar à do vírus da cinomose canina (DUIGNAN, 1999).…”

“…A imunoistoquímica foi o método diagnóstico utilizado para demonstrar a presença de antígenos dos morbilivírus em fragmentos de tecidos fixados em solução de formalina 10% e incluídos em parafina (DAOUST et al, 1993;DOMINGO et al, 1992;KENNEDY et al, 1991).…”