Primary bacterial pathogens in bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus: needles in haystacks of commensal and environmental microbes

Venn‐Watson, Stephanie; Smith, Cynthia R.; Jensen, Eric D.

doi:10.3354/dao01895

Cited by 39 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…31 The foundation for the present study was the belief that the continuous improvement in clinical care and husbandry for dolphins at the MMP would result in improvements in population health indicators during the 10-year period from 2004 through 2013, compared with the same indicators during the previous 10-year period. 14,[35][36][37] Dolphins at the MMP are trained to be transported, which allows them to be readily transported for medical evaluation with minimal stress. During the past 10 years, several key programs and practices have been built and implemented to further improve the care of managed dolphins and may have contributed to the increased longevity of those animals.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of annual survival and mortality rates and longevity of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) at the United States Navy Marine Mammal Program from 2004 through 2013

Venn‐Watson¹,

Jensen²,

Smith³

et al. 2015

javma

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Objective-To evaluate annual survival and mortality rates and the longevity of a managed population of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Design-Retrospective cohort study. Animals-103 bottlenose dolphins at the US Navy Marine Mammal Program (MMP). Procedures-Population age structures, annual survival and crude mortality rates, and median age at death for dolphins > 30 days old were determined from 2004 through 2013. Results-During 2004 through 2013, the annual survival rates for MMP dolphins ranged from 0.98 to 1.0, and the annual crude mortality rates ranged from 0% to 5%, with a mean of 2.7%. The median age at death was 30.1 years from 2004 through 2008 and increased to 32 years from 2009 through 2013. The maximum age for a dolphin in the study was 52 years. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Results indicated that the annual mortality rates were low and survival rates were high for dolphins in the MMP from 2004 through 2013 and that the median age at death for MMP dolphins during that time was over 10 years greater than that reported in free-ranging dolphins. These findings were likely attributable to the continually improving care and husbandry of managed dolphin populations.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of annual survival and mortality rates and longevity of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) at the United States Navy Marine Mammal Program from 2004 through 2013

Venn‐Watson¹,

Jensen²,

Smith³

et al. 2015

javma

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show abstract

“…Pathogens that affect gastrointestinal dolphin health have been previously reviewed elsewhere (Baskin ; Venn‐Watson et al . ) and include astroviruses (Rivera et al . ), Campylobacter spp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Our focused search for lactic acid bacteria yielded isolates from genera other than Lactobacillus and may include organisms with beneficial features. Given the limited information available on marine mammal indigenous gastrointestinal microbiota (Venn-Watson et al 2008), with existing studies primarily addressing their role in the digestion of food (Olsen et al 1994), the isolation and identification of a diverse set of members of the bottlenose dolphin indigenous microbiota, including lactobacilli, should significantly contribute to the understanding of the dolphin microbiome. Future studies characterizing the dolphin gastrointestinal microbiota will help elucidate the contribution of these organisms to their host's health.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Little is known about the composition and functions of the symbiotic gastrointestinal microbiota of marine mammals, or the exact contribution of various microbes to disease in these animals (Venn-Watson et al 2008). Gastroenteritis occurs in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), and diagnosis can be based upon abnormal faecal mammals (Minette 1986;Higgins 2000;Venn-Watson et al 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Identification of L actobacillus strains with probiotic features from the bottlenose dolphin ( T ursiops truncatus )

et al. 2013

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AimsIn order to develop complementary health management strategies for marine mammals, we used culture-based and culture-independent approaches to identify gastrointestinal lactobacilli of the common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus.Methods and ResultsWe screened 307 bacterial isolates from oral and rectal swabs, milk and gastric fluid, collected from 38 dolphins in the U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program, for potentially beneficial features. We focused our search on lactobacilli and evaluated their ability to modulate TNF secretion by host cells and inhibit growth of pathogens. We recovered Lactobacillus salivarius strains which secreted factors that stimulated TNF production by human monocytoid cells. These Lact. salivarius isolates inhibited growth of selected marine mammal and human bacterial pathogens. In addition, we identified a novel Lactobacillus species by culture and direct sequencing with 96·3% 16S rDNA sequence similarity to Lactobacillus ceti.ConclusionsDolphin-derived Lact. salivarius isolates possess features making them candidate probiotics for clinical studies in marine mammals.Significance and Impact of the StudyThis is the first study to isolate lactobacilli from dolphins, including a novel Lactobacillus species and a new strain of Lact. salivarius, with potential for veterinary probiotic applications. The isolation and identification of novel Lactobacillus spp. and other indigenous microbes from bottlenose dolphins will enable the study of the biology of symbiotic members of the dolphin microbiota and facilitate the understanding of the microbiomes of these unique animals.

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“…Several published investigations have described microbial isolations from fecal, blowhole, and gastric samples and antibiotic sensitivity patterns in dolphins (Buck et al 2006, Greig et al 2007, Venn-Watson et al 2008, 2011a, Morris et al 2011, Stewart et al 2014. Microbial isolation, identification, and antibiotic sensitivity testing for samples collected from the blowhole, stomach, and anus during HERA were conducted in a single commercial laboratory using standard methods as described previously ).…”

Section: Microbial Isolations and Antibiotic Resistancementioning

confidence: 99%

Health and Environmental Risk Assessment Project for bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus from the southeastern USA. II. Environmental aspects

Reif

Schaefer²,

Bossart³

et al. 2017

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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Primary bacterial pathogens in bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus: needles in haystacks of commensal and environmental microbes

Cited by 39 publications

References 20 publications

Evaluation of annual survival and mortality rates and longevity of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) at the United States Navy Marine Mammal Program from 2004 through 2013

Evaluation of annual survival and mortality rates and longevity of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) at the United States Navy Marine Mammal Program from 2004 through 2013

Identification of L actobacillus strains with probiotic features from the bottlenose dolphin ( T ursiops truncatus )

Health and Environmental Risk Assessment Project for bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus from the southeastern USA. II. Environmental aspects

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