Pinnipediae

Colegrove, Kathleen M.; Burek‐Huntington, Kathleen A.; Roe, Wendi D.; Siebert, Ursula

doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-805306-5.00023-7

Cited by 13 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 116 publications

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“…Malnutrition is common in young seals admitted to rehabilitation centres and was evident in the history provided for two of the common seals [28]. The centre was also feeding whole herring, which can present a risk of thiamine deficiency due to the presence of thiaminase in the fish.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Systemic infection with highly pathogenic H5N8 of avian origin produces encephalitis and mortality in wild mammals at a UK rehabilitation centre

Floyd

Banyard

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Europe has experienced extensive outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) during the autumn/winter 2020/21 season. These avian influenza A viruses are highly transmissible and have infected over 1000 commercial and backyard poultry premises in Europe in this period causing high mortality. The impact on wild bird populations has also been significant, with over 400 detections in at least 47 different species reported across Europe as being positive with the H5N8 virus. Although different H5Nx combinations within the H5 clade 2.3.4.4b have been detected, the H5N8 subtype has predominated both in wild birds and domestic poultry outbreaks. In the UK there have been 22 outbreaks of H5N8 in domestic poultry and captive birds and more than 300 wild bird detections involving H5N8 over the autumn/winter 2020/21 period to April 2021. Here we detail the series of events surrounding the detection of an H5N8 influenza A virus of avian origin in five swans, a fox and three seals in a wildlife rehabilitation centre.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Systemic infection with highly pathogenic H5N8 of avian origin produces encephalitis and mortality in wild mammals at a UK rehabilitation centre

Floyd

Banyard

et al. 2021

Preprint

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“…To our knowledge, there are no reports on A. phagocytophilum or Mycoplasma spp. in any other ectoparasite affecting marine mammals or evidence of anaplasmosis occurring in stranded phocid seals [ 40 , 41 ]. Anaplasma phagocytophilum (Rickettsiales, Anaplasmataceae) constitutes an emerging globally distributed pathogen transmitted mainly by Ixodes ticks and may cause granulocytic anaplasmosis, one of the most relevant tick-borne diseases of veterinary and public health significance worldwide [ 42 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The seal louse (Echinophthirius horridus) in the Dutch Wadden Sea: investigation of vector-borne pathogens

et al. 2021

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Background Belonging to the anopluran family Echinophthiriidae, Echinophthirius horridus, the seal louse, has been reported to parasitise a broad range of representatives of phocid seals. So far, only a few studies have focused on the vector function of echinophthiriid lice, and knowledge about their role in pathogen transmission is still scarce. The current study aims to investigate the possible vector role of E. horridus parasitising seals in the Dutch Wadden Sea. Methods E. horridus seal lice were collected from 54 harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) and one grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) during their rehabilitation period at the Sealcentre Pieterburen, The Netherlands. DNA was extracted from pooled seal lice of individual seals for molecular detection of the seal heartworm Acanthocheilonema spirocauda, the rickettsial intracellular bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and the cell wall-less bacteria Mycoplasma spp. using PCR assays. Results Seal lice from 35% of the harbour seals (19/54) and from the grey seal proved positive for A. spirocauda. The seal heartworm was molecularly characterised and phylogenetically analysed (rDNA, cox1). A nested PCR was developed for the cox1 gene to detect A. spirocauda stages in seal lice. A. phagocytophilum and a Mycoplasma species previously identified from a patient with disseminated ‘seal finger’ mycoplasmosis were detected for the first time, to our knowledge, in seal lice. Conclusions Our findings support the potential vector role of seal lice in the transmission of A. spirocauda and reveal new insights into the spectrum of pathogens occurring in seal lice. Studies on vector competence of E. horridus, especially for bacterial pathogens, are essentially needed in the future as these pathogens might have detrimental effects on the health of seal populations. Furthermore, studies on the vector role of different echinophthiriid species infecting a wide range of pinniped hosts should be conducted to extend the knowledge of vector-borne pathogens.

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“…To our current knowledge there are neither reports on A. phagocytophilum or Mycoplasma spp. in any other ectoparasite affecting marine mammals nor evidence of anaplasmosis occurring in stranded phocid seals [39,40]. Practically, nothing is known on anaplasmosis in seals as nobody has investigated clinical relevance of A. phagocytophilum in determining marine seal population health status, like the ones occurring in the Dutch Wadden Sea.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Seal Louse (Echinophthirius horridus) in the Dutch Wadden Sea: Investigation of Vector-Borne Pathogens and Morphological Adaptations

Hirzmann

Ebmer

Contreras³

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Background: Belonging to the anopluran family Echinophthiriidae, Echinophthirius horridus, the seal louse, has been reported to parasitize a broad range of representatives of phocid seals. So far, only few studies focused on vector function of echinophthiriid lice and knowledge on their role in pathogen transmission is still scarce. The current study aims to investigate the role of E. horridus in vector-borne diseases of seals in the Dutch Wadden Sea and to attribute to its morphological features of environmental adaptation.Methods: More than 1200 E. horridus seal lice were collected from 54 harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) and one grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) during their rehabilitation period in the Sealcentre Pieterburen, the Netherlands. DNA was extracted from pooled seal lice of individual seals for molecular detection of the seal heartworm Acanthocheilonema spirocauda, the rickettsial intracellular bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Mycoplasma spp. using PCR assays. In addition E. horridus-adult and -eggs were analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).Results: Seal lice from 35% of the harbour seals (19/54) and from the grey seal proved positive for A. spirocauda. The seal heartworm was molecularly characterised and phylogenetically analysed for the first time (rDNA, cox1). A nested PCR was developed for the cox1 gene to detect A. spirocauda stages in seal lice. A. phagocytophilum and a Mycoplasma species previously identified from a patient with disseminated ‘seal finger’ mycoplasmosis were detected the first time in seal lice. SEM analyses of E. horridus-adults and -eggs brought out more clearly unique morphological features, such as ‘lock-like’ claws, setae-covered cuticle as well as vaulted nit lids carrying micropyles for respiration, which all demonstrate the adaption of this ectoparasite to its semiaquatic host and the marine environment.Conclusions: Our findings support the vector role of seal lice in transmission of A. spirocauda, Mycoplasma spp. and A. phagocytophilum and presented more detailed images of their morphological adaptations to the semiaquatic lifestyle of their hosts. As the vector-borne pathogens might have detrimental effects on the health of seal populations further epidemiological investigations on infections due to these pathogens in seals should be conducted.

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Pinnipediae

Cited by 13 publications

References 116 publications

Systemic infection with highly pathogenic H5N8 of avian origin produces encephalitis and mortality in wild mammals at a UK rehabilitation centre

Systemic infection with highly pathogenic H5N8 of avian origin produces encephalitis and mortality in wild mammals at a UK rehabilitation centre

The seal louse (Echinophthirius horridus) in the Dutch Wadden Sea: investigation of vector-borne pathogens

The Seal Louse (Echinophthirius horridus) in the Dutch Wadden Sea: Investigation of Vector-Borne Pathogens and Morphological Adaptations

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