Retrospective seroepidemiological investigations against Morbillivirus, Toxoplasma gondii and Brucella spp. in cetaceans stranded along the Italian coastline (1998–2014)

Profeta, Francesca; Francesco, Cristina Esmeralda Di; Marsilio, Fulvio; Mignone, Walter; Nocera, Fabio Di; Carlo, Esterina De; Lucifora, Giuseppe; Baffoni, Marina; Cocumelli, Cristiano; Eleni, Claudia; Terracciano, Giuliana; Ferri, Nicola; Francesco, Gabriella Di; Casalone, Cristina; Pautasso, Alessandra; Mazzariol, Sandro; Centelleghe, Cinzia; Guardo, Giovanni Di

doi:10.1016/j.rvsc.2015.06.008

Cited by 25 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…In Costa Rica, six cetacean species have antibody positivity to B. ceti and the organism was cultured from 70% of stranded striped dolphins (Hernández-Mora et al, 2017). A recent serologic survey in Italy (Profeta et al, 2015) identified no brucella antibodies in 70 cetaceans over a 15 year sampling of stranded animals. In a prior investigation in the western Mediterranean, three of three dolphins had brucellosis with a mix of lesions including neurobrucellosis in a striped dolphin, discospondylitis in a bottlenose dolphin, and a striped dolphin with no specific lesions.…”

Section: Bacteriamentioning

confidence: 99%

Cetacea

Leger

Raverty

Mena

2018

Pathology of Wildlife and Zoo Animals

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Section: Bacteriamentioning

confidence: 99%

Cetacea

Leger

Raverty

Mena

2018

Pathology of Wildlife and Zoo Animals

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“…Jewell et al, 2012;Taylor et al, 2007). An unusually high mortality of striped dolphins in the Central Tyrrhenian Sea in 2013 (Casalone et al, 2014;Profeta et al, 2015) prompted another series of aerial surveys in these waters to investigate possible trends in striped dolphin abundance in the area, as well as to provide further information on the current abundance and distribution of cetaceans and other species of conservation concern in a large sector of the Mediterranean Sea. The target area is not only of ecological importance but also greatly impacted by human activities, such as high levels of chemical pollution, marine traffic and plastic debris (Cózar et al, 2015;Fossi et al, 2004;Lauriano et al, 2014a;Marsili et al, 2001;Panigada et al, 2006;Panti et al, 2011).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating cetacean density and abundance in the Central and Western Mediterranean Sea through aerial surveys: Implications for management

Panigada

Lauriano

Donovan

et al. 2017

Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography

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Systematic, effective monitoring of animal population parameters underpins successful conservation strategy and wildlife management, but it is often neglected in many regions, including much of the Mediterranean Sea. Nonetheless, a series of systematic multispecies aerial surveys was carried out in the seas around Italy to gather important baseline information on cetacean occurrence, distribution and abundance. The monitored areas included the Pelagos Sanctuary, the Tyrrhenian Sea, portions of the Seas of Corsica and Sardinia, the Ionian Seas as well as the Gulf of Taranto. Overall, approximately 48,000 km were flown in either spring, summer and winter between 2009-2014, covering an area of 444,621 km 2 . The most commonly observed species were the striped dolphin and the fin whale, with 975 and 83 recorded sightings, respectively. Other sighted cetacean species were the common bottlenose dolphin, the Risso's dolphin, the sperm whale, the pilot whale and the Cuvier's beaked whale. Uncorrected model-and design-based estimates of density and abundance for striped dolphins and fin whales were produced, resulting in a best estimate (model-based) of around 95,000 striped dolphins (CV=11.6%; 95% CI=92,900-120,300) occurring in the Pelagos Sanctuary, Central Tyrrhenian and Western Seas of Corsica and Sardinia combined area in summer 2010. Estimates were also obtained for each individual study region and year. An initial attempt to estimate perception bias for striped dolphins is also provided. The preferred summer 2010 uncorrected best estimate (designbased) for the same areas for fin whales was around 665 (CV=33.1%; 95% CI=350-1,260). Estimates are also provided for the individual study regions and years. The results represent baseline data to develop efficient, long-term, systematic monitoring programmes, essential to evaluate trends, as required by a number of national and international frameworks, and stress the need to ensure that surveys are undertaken regularly and at a sufficient spatial scale. The management implications of the results are discussed also in light of a possible decline of fin whales abundance over the period from the mid-1990s to the present. Further work to understand changes in distribution and to allow for improved spatial models is emphasized.

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“…Serological investigations against the three pathogens morbillivirus, T. gondii, and Brucella spp. were carried out on appropriate blood serum samples (Profeta et al 2015). Macroparasites were collected, stored in 70% ethanol, morphologically studied by light microscopy and stereomicroscopy, and classified to the genus level according to established morphological characteristics (Anderson 1978;Khalil et al 1994).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Postmortem Findings in Cetaceans Found Stranded in the Pelagos Sanctuary, Italy, 2007–14

Giorda

Ballardini

Guardo

et al. 2017

Journal of Wildlife Diseases

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Between 2007 and 2014, 83 cetaceans were found stranded along the Ligurian coast of Italy, in the Pelagos Sanctuary, the largest marine protected area in the Mediterranean basin. Forty-nine (59%) were submitted to complete or partial necropsy, depending on the conservation status of the carcass. Based on gross and histological pathology and ancillary testing, the cause of death was determined and categorized as anthropogenic or natural (i.e., nonanthropogenic) in origin for 33 animals (67%) and of undetermined origin in the remaining 16 (33%). Natural causes of death, accompanied by either poor or good nutritional status, were attributed to 29 animals (59%), whereas four (8%) were diagnosed with an anthropogenic cause of death, consisting of interaction with fishing activities. Infectious and noninfectious disease was the most common cause of death, involving 29 cetaceans (59%). These data are valuable for understanding health and mortality trends in cetacean populations and can provide information for establishing policies for cetacean conservation and management in such an important protected area of the Mediterranean basin.

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Retrospective seroepidemiological investigations against Morbillivirus, Toxoplasma gondii and Brucella spp. in cetaceans stranded along the Italian coastline (1998–2014)

Cited by 25 publications

References 36 publications

Cetacea

Cetacea

Estimating cetacean density and abundance in the Central and Western Mediterranean Sea through aerial surveys: Implications for management

Postmortem Findings in Cetaceans Found Stranded in the Pelagos Sanctuary, Italy, 2007–14

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