Toxoplasmosis and Sarcocystis spp. infection in wild pinnipeds of the Brazilian coast

An unexpected tenant: contamination in a Physeter catodon (Physeteridae, Artiodactyla) genome indicates undescribed species of Sarcocystis Lankester, 1882 (Sarcocystidae, Eucoccidiorida) in the marine environment

“…Our results suggest at least two other forms occur in marine mammals in addition to S. canis in seals and bears, and S. neurona in sea otters, sea lions and harbour seals. One unidentified species in Indopacific bottlenosed dolphins was previously considered as "S. canis-like" (Calero-Bernal et al 2017), and the other unidentified species occurs in sperm whales and subantarctic fur seals, as indicated by the similarity of the ITS sequences (Reisfeld et al 2019). The markers we analysed show different mutation rates, with 18S rRNA and cox1 lower, 28S rRNA and rpoB more intermediate, and ITS1 with a notably higher mutation rate.…”

“…In contrast, "S. canis-like" parasites were detected in an Indopacific bottlenosed dolphin (Tursiops aduncus Ehrenberg) (Calero-Bernal et al 2017), although most diagnoses in marine mammals have been based solely on the morphology of cysts found in muscle tissues, such as the S. canis-like infection of a Hawaiian monk seal (Neomonachus schauinslandi Matschie) (Yantis et al 2003). Reisfeld et al (2019) identified Sarcocystis in subantarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus tropicalis Gray) using ITS1 sequences that were similar to sequences from a parasite of a sperm whale (Physeter catodon Linnaeus), but there were limited data available for this marker to assess relationships further. Various other studies of marine mammals have reported infections with Sarcocystis coccidia, but without establishing the species (e.g., Cuvertoret-Sanz et al 2020).…”

Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in the endangered Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea)

“…Across these species, the mammals and birds, parasite transmission is related either to foragingingestion of oocysts in contaminated food or water, or of tissue cysts in prey speciesor to transplacental transmission from recently infected mother to offspring (Dubey, 2022). In the marine mammals, the former can contribute directly to illness or death from localized or disseminated infection, reported for instance in the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) (Carlson-Bremer et al, 2015), Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) (Mazzariol et al, 2021) and multiple other seal species (van de Velde et al, 2016;Reisfeld et al, 2019). Additionally, infection can increase the risk of death from other causes such as predation and conspecific trauma, as observed in the southern sea otter (Kreuder et al, 2003) and New Zealand sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri) (Roe et al, 2017).…”

Molecular prevalence, risk factors and genotypes of Toxoplasma gondii DNA in wild marine snails collected from offshore waters in eastern China

“…Recent years have witnessed increasing interest in exploring the factors that can contribute to the introduction of the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii into coastal waters Simon et al, 2013), where they infect marine animals, such as sea otters, bottlenose dolphin and pinnipeds (Bigal et al, 2018;Bachand et al, 2019;Reisfeld et al, 2019;Shapiro et al, 2019). The environmentally resistant oocyst's stage of T. gondii is excreted in the feces of the feline definitive host and can remain viable in the soil or water for years (Lindsay and Dubey, 2009;Dubey, 2010;Lélu et al, 2012).…”