[MARMAM] New paper: Mycotic infections in Free-ranging Harbor Porpoises

[IJsseldijk, L.L. (Lonneke)]

Dear MARMAM community,



We are pleased to share our newest open access publication in Frontiers in 
Marine Sciences:



Kapetanou, A., IJsseldijk, L. L., Willems, D. S., Broens, E. M., Everaarts, E., 
Buil, J. B., Verweij, P. E., Kik, M. J. L., & Gröne, A. (2020). Mycotic 
infections in Free-ranging Harbor Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena). Frontiers in 
Marine Science, 7, 344.



Abstract:

Studies on the occurrence of fungal communities in the marine environment are 
still scarce, but mycotic infections in cetaceans are increasingly reported. 
Fungal disease following infection with Aspergillus species is most frequently 
reported, with the respiratory tract commonly affected in cetaceans and other 
taxa, like humans and birds. Infection with Aspergillus spp. is dependent on 
the characteristics of the fungus as well as the hosts immune status, with 
dissemination into other organs being relatively common. Along the southern 
North Sea, harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) strandings increased 
significantly since 2005 and necropsies to determine causes of death have been 
conducted since 2008. Here we describe the post-mortem findings in stranded, 
free-ranging harbor porpoises on the Dutch coast which were diagnosed with 
fungal disease, to determine the prevalence of mycotic infections, and to 
compare them to those described in other species. A total of 18/754 (2.4%) 
harbor porpoises showed lesions compatible with localized or disseminated 
fungal disease as confirmed by histological examination. The respiratory tract 
was most commonly affected (67%), followed by the central nervous system (CNS, 
35%) and auditory system (AS, 18%). Aspergillosis was confirmed for 11/18, by 
fungal growth (as A. fumigatus species complex, n=9) and PCR (as Aspergillus 
spp., n=1, and as A. fumigatus sensu strictu by sequence analysis, n=1). One 
live stranded and euthanized animal presented partial hemiplegia of the 
blowhole and therefore an MRI was conducted, which resulted in a unique image 
of the extensive, fungus-induced lesion in the left cerebellar hemisphere, 
deforming and displacing the brainstem, and additionally affected the AS. The 
gross- and histologic lesions in the 18 porpoises diagnosed with fungal disease 
were similar to changes described in other mammalian species. The prevalence of 
fungal disease in free-living harbor porpoises is lower than seen in captive 
and rehabilitated animals, suggesting that captivity increases the risk to 
develop mycotic infections. Finally, fungal infection in the CNS and AS are 
usually considered consequences of vascular dissemination originating from 
pulmonary foci. However, only 1/7 cases with otitis and/or encephalitis 
demonstrated pulmonary aspergillosis, suggesting a different pathogenesis.



Here is the link to the full article: 
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2020.00344/full


Kind regards,

Lonneke IJsseldijk



Lonneke L. IJsseldijk | Project 
Manager Cetacean Research | Utrecht University | 
Veterinary Medicine | 
Biomolecular Health Sciences | Pathology | Yalelaan 1, 3584 CL Utrecht | room 
O.170 | (+3130) 253 5312 | (+316) 244 556 98 | 
l.l.ijsseld...@uu.nl| Follow us @ | 
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LinkedIn | 
Online



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[MARMAM] New paper on southern right whale population structure in the South Atlantic

[Emma Carroll]

My colleagues and I are happy to announce the publication of a new paper on
southern right whale population structure in the South Atlantic.

Details below and it is available free via open access from the Journal of
Heredity:

https://academic.oup.com/jhered/article/111/3/263/5826886

Title:
Genetic Diversity and Connectivity of Southern Right Whales (*Eubalaena
australis*) Found in the Brazil and Chile–Peru Wintering Grounds and the
South Georgia (Islas Georgias del Sur) Feeding Ground

Authors:
Emma L. Carroll, Paulo H. Ott, Louise F. McMillan,
Bárbara Galletti Vernazzani, Petra Neveceralova, Els Vermeulen,
Oscar E. Gaggiotti, Artur Andriolo, C. Scott Baker, Connor Bamford, Peter
Best, Elsa Cabrera, Susannah Calderan, Andrea Chirife,
Rachel M. Fewster, Paulo A. C. Flores,Timothy Frasier,
Thales R. O. Freitas, Karina Groch, Pavel Hulva, Amy Kennedy,
Russell Leaper, Matthew S. Leslie, Michael Moore, Larissa Oliveira, Jon
Seger, Emilie N. Stepien, Luciano O. Valenzuela, Alexandre Zerbini, and
Jennifer A. Jackson

Abstract:
As species recover from exploitation, continued assessments of connectivity
and population structure are warranted to provide information for
conservation and management. This is particularly true in species with high
dispersal capacity, such as migratory whales, where patterns of
connectivity could change rapidly. Here we build on a previous long-term,
large-scale collaboration on southern right whales (*Eubalaena australis*)
to combine new (nnew) and published (npub) mitochondrial (mtDNA) and
microsatellite genetic data from all major wintering grounds and, uniquely,
the South Georgia (Islas Georgias del Sur: SG) feeding grounds.
Specifically, we include data from Argentina (npub mtDNA/microsatellite =
208/46), Brazil (nnew mtDNA/microsatellite = 50/50), South Africa (nnew
mtDNA/microsatellite = 66/77, npub mtDNA/microsatellite = 350/47),
Chile–Peru (nnew mtDNA/ microsatellite = 1/1), the Indo-Pacific (npub
mtDNA/microsatellite = 769/126), and SG (npub mtDNA/ microsatellite = 8/0,
nnew mtDNA/microsatellite = 3/11) to investigate the position of previously
unstudied habitats in the migratory network: Brazil, SG, and Chile–Peru.
These new genetic data show connectivity between Brazil and Argentina,
exemplified by weak genetic differentiation and the movement of 1
genetically identified individual between the South American grounds.The
single sample from Chile–Peru had an mtDNA haplotype previously only
observed in the Indo-Pacific and had a nuclear genotype that appeared
admixed between the Indo-Pacific and South Atlantic, based on genetic
clustering and assignment algorithms.The SG samples were clearly South
Atlantic and were more similar to the South American than the South African
wintering grounds.This study highlights how international collaborations
are critical to provide context for emerging or recovering regions, like
the SG feeding ground, as well as those that remain critically endangered,
such as Chile–Peru.

thank you
Emma Carroll

Rutherford Discovery Fellow | Senior Research Fellow
Te Kura Mātauranga Koiora | School of Biological Sciences
Te Whare Wānanga o Tāmaki Makaurau | University of Auckland
e: e.carr...@auckland.ac.nz | t: @EmzLCarroll
w: whalednalab.auckland.ac.nz |
https://unidirectory.auckland.ac.nz/people/e-carroll
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