Infection with Pythium flevoense in a harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) as a novel cause of dermatitis in marine mammals
Abstract The oomycete Pythium flevoense was diagnosed as the cause of dermatitis in a young adult female harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) that had been trapped in a pound net in a temperate saltwater environment. Disease from Pythium sp. infection—pythiosis—is infrequently diagnosed in humans, h...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Veterinary Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13567-023-01226-1 |
| _version_ | 1827770357270970368 |
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| author | Edwin J. B. Veldhuis Kroeze Cornelis E. van Elk Marco W. G. van de Bildt Peter R. W. A. van Run Geoffrey Foster Nissrine Abou-Chakra Rasmus Krøger Hare Thijs Kuiken |
| author_facet | Edwin J. B. Veldhuis Kroeze Cornelis E. van Elk Marco W. G. van de Bildt Peter R. W. A. van Run Geoffrey Foster Nissrine Abou-Chakra Rasmus Krøger Hare Thijs Kuiken |
| author_sort | Edwin J. B. Veldhuis Kroeze |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The oomycete Pythium flevoense was diagnosed as the cause of dermatitis in a young adult female harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) that had been trapped in a pound net in a temperate saltwater environment. Disease from Pythium sp. infection—pythiosis—is infrequently diagnosed in humans, horses, dogs, cattle, and few other mammalian species. Pythiosis is typically associated with exposure to tropical or subtropical freshwater conditions, and typically caused by Pythium insidiosum. However, until now, pythiosis has been reported in neither marine mammals nor temperate saltwater conditions, and P. flevoense is not known as a cause of pythiosis in mammals. This porpoise developed generalised dermatitis despite treatment and euthanasia was necessary. Histopathological evaluation revealed a chronic active erosive dermatitis, with intralesional hyphae morphologically consistent with a Pythium sp. PCR analysis and sequencing of affected skin matched Pythium flevoense with a 100% similarity to the reference strain. Additional diagnostics excluded other pathogens. Based on this case report, P. flevoense needs to be considered as a mammalian pathogen. Furthermore, harbour porpoises and possibly other marine mammals may be at risk of infection with P. flevoense, and pythiosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of dermatitis in marine mammals. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T12:38:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-285ff98fba3e4d708f6961ca2050feeb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1297-9716 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T12:38:25Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Veterinary Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-285ff98fba3e4d708f6961ca2050feeb2023-11-05T12:26:45ZengBMCVeterinary Research1297-97162023-11-015411810.1186/s13567-023-01226-1Infection with Pythium flevoense in a harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) as a novel cause of dermatitis in marine mammalsEdwin J. B. Veldhuis Kroeze0Cornelis E. van Elk1Marco W. G. van de Bildt2Peter R. W. A. van Run3Geoffrey Foster4Nissrine Abou-Chakra5Rasmus Krøger Hare6Thijs Kuiken7Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical CentreDepartment of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical CentreDepartment of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical CentreDepartment of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical CentreSRUC Veterinary ServicesUnit for Mycology, Department of Bacteria Parasites and Fungi, Statens Serum InstitutUnit for Mycology, Department of Bacteria Parasites and Fungi, Statens Serum InstitutDepartment of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical CentreAbstract The oomycete Pythium flevoense was diagnosed as the cause of dermatitis in a young adult female harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) that had been trapped in a pound net in a temperate saltwater environment. Disease from Pythium sp. infection—pythiosis—is infrequently diagnosed in humans, horses, dogs, cattle, and few other mammalian species. Pythiosis is typically associated with exposure to tropical or subtropical freshwater conditions, and typically caused by Pythium insidiosum. However, until now, pythiosis has been reported in neither marine mammals nor temperate saltwater conditions, and P. flevoense is not known as a cause of pythiosis in mammals. This porpoise developed generalised dermatitis despite treatment and euthanasia was necessary. Histopathological evaluation revealed a chronic active erosive dermatitis, with intralesional hyphae morphologically consistent with a Pythium sp. PCR analysis and sequencing of affected skin matched Pythium flevoense with a 100% similarity to the reference strain. Additional diagnostics excluded other pathogens. Based on this case report, P. flevoense needs to be considered as a mammalian pathogen. Furthermore, harbour porpoises and possibly other marine mammals may be at risk of infection with P. flevoense, and pythiosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of dermatitis in marine mammals.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13567-023-01226-1Novel pathogenoomycetePythium flevoensemarine mammalcetaceanharbour porpoise |
| spellingShingle | Edwin J. B. Veldhuis Kroeze Cornelis E. van Elk Marco W. G. van de Bildt Peter R. W. A. van Run Geoffrey Foster Nissrine Abou-Chakra Rasmus Krøger Hare Thijs Kuiken Infection with Pythium flevoense in a harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) as a novel cause of dermatitis in marine mammals Veterinary Research Novel pathogen oomycete Pythium flevoense marine mammal cetacean harbour porpoise |
| title | Infection with Pythium flevoense in a harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) as a novel cause of dermatitis in marine mammals |
| title_full | Infection with Pythium flevoense in a harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) as a novel cause of dermatitis in marine mammals |
| title_fullStr | Infection with Pythium flevoense in a harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) as a novel cause of dermatitis in marine mammals |
| title_full_unstemmed | Infection with Pythium flevoense in a harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) as a novel cause of dermatitis in marine mammals |
| title_short | Infection with Pythium flevoense in a harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) as a novel cause of dermatitis in marine mammals |
| title_sort | infection with pythium flevoense in a harbour porpoise phocoena phocoena as a novel cause of dermatitis in marine mammals |
| topic | Novel pathogen oomycete Pythium flevoense marine mammal cetacean harbour porpoise |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13567-023-01226-1 |
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