Bottlenose dolphin virus

But other as-yet unproven theories related to global warming or pollution also are being investigated, she noted. Scientists in the lates estimated that the morbillivirus wiped out 50 percent of the coastal migratory dolphins. As a result the bottlenose dolphin was designated as "depleted" under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act, a status it retains today. Since then, scientists have learned more about dolphin populations, and believe the morbillivirus is endemic in the marine environment where other deep-sea species such as pilot whales may be symptom-free carriers, Fougeres said.

Fougeres said something in the environment might have caused dolphins to interact more closely with the whales recently. An unrelated study released last week by NOAA showed that some dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico are gravely ill from injuries consistent with petroleum hydrocarbon exposure.

Already a subscriber? Sign in. Thanks for reading Scientific American. Create your free account or Sign in to continue. Lesions may persist for months or years without apparent ill effects. Major differential diagnoses include cutaneous streptothricosis and calicivirus. Diagnosis is based on the presence of eosinophilic, intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies in lesion biopsies and is confirmed by identification of typical poxvirus particles by electron microscopy.

Poxviruses of marine mammals do not appear to cause systemic infections. Although animals with cutaneous poxvirus lesions have died, other factors were responsible. Therapy to control secondary bacterial infections is indicated only when skin lesions suppurate. The parapoxviruses of pinnipeds can cause isolated lesions on the hands of people not wearing gloves during contact with infected animals.

A ringed seal Phoca hispida in Norway was diagnosed with rabies, which was confirmed by immunofluorescent examination of the brain. At the time, there was an epidemic of rabies in foxes in the area. Other rhabdoviruses isolated from cetaceans, which are not recognized by antisera to representatives of the Lyssavirus , Ephemerovirus , or Vesiculovirus genera, may be related to rhabdoviruses of fish.

Papillomavirus infections have been reported in a wide range of cetaceans, including narwals Monodon monoceros and several species of mysticete whale. Lesions are typical of those found in terrestrial species. No therapy is known. Lesions are usually self-limiting. Hepadnavirus infection with a hepatitis B—like agent has been documented in a Pacific white-sided dolphin with a long history of recurrent illness in captivity. No evidence of zoonotic transmission was identified.

Endogenous gamma retroviruses have been identified in the genome of killer whale, bottlenose dolphin, Atlantic white-sided dolphin, long-finned pilot whale, striped dolphin, short-beaked common dolphin, Risso's dolphin, harbour porpoise, and white-beaked dolphin. The only retrovirus cultured and characterized to date in a marine mammal was a spumavirus isolated from recurring skin lesions in a California sea lion that subsequently died of Pasteurella pneumonia complicated with herpesvirus.

Coronavirus infections have been associated with pneumonia epizootics in wild Pacific harbor seals. A coronavirus has also been identified in a beluga whale. An enterovirus of unknown pathogenicity isolated from a rectal swab of a California gray whale has been reclassified as a calicivirus.

Antibodies, unassociated with disease, against human influenza virus after challenge and poliomyelitis virus were found in bottlenose dolphins. Enterovirus has been found associated with tongue lesions in bottlenose dolphins. Severe enteritis and vomiting that rapidly led to death in a captive beluga whale were suggestive of parvovirus enteritis, but no virus was isolated.

From developing new therapies that treat and prevent disease to helping people in need, we are committed to improving health and well-being around the world. The Veterinary Manual was first published in as a service to the community. The legacy of this great resource continues in the online and mobile app versions today.

This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here. Common Veterinary Topics. Videos Figures Images Quizzes. Influenza Virus:. Miscellaneous Viral Diseases:. Marine Mammals. Test your knowledge.

Small flocks of chickens are increasingly being kept in backyards by novice urban farmers for egg production. Creating a healthy environment for the birds is crucial for success. Which of the following statements about the backyard environment is correct? More Content. Adenovirus: Adenovirus has been isolated from a sei whale Balaenoptera borealis , beluga whale, and bowhead whales Balaena mysticetus.

Was This Page Helpful? Yes No. See also: Ecosystem ; Environmental toxicology ; Epidemiology ; Marine ecology. To learn more about subscribing to AccessScience, or to request a no-risk trial of this award-winning scientific reference for your institution, fill in your information and a member of our Sales Team will contact you as soon as possible. Recognized as an award-winning gateway to scientific knowledge, AccessScience is an amazing online resource that contains high-quality reference material written specifically for students.

Contributors include more than 10, highly qualified scientists and 46 Nobel Prize winners. Health Sciences Morbillivirus infection in bottlenose dolphins. BR Members of the genus Morbillivirus family Paramyxoviridae , collectively known as morbilliviruses, are RNA-containing viruses. See also: Animal virus ; Canine distemper ; Cetacea ; Disease ; Emerging diseases in marine mammals ; Measles ; Paramyxovirus ; Ribonucleic acid RNA ; Rinderpest ; Virus ; Virus classification Bottlenose dolphins can contract the morbillivirus disease through the inhalation of aerosolized particles containing the virus.

See also: Antibody ; Immunity ; Immunology So far, the cetacean morbillivirus outbreak has been limited to bottlenose dolphins in the northern Atlantic Ocean.

You may already have access to this content. Sign In. Get AccessScience for your institution. Subscribe To learn more about subscribing to AccessScience, or to request a no-risk trial of this award-winning scientific reference for your institution, fill in your information and a member of our Sales Team will contact you as soon as possible.

Recommend AccessScience to your librarian.