The Emergence of Mucormycosis in Free-Ranging Marine Mammals of the Pacific Northwest
Primary fungal diseases in marine mammals are rare. Mucormycosis, a disease caused by fungi of the order Mucorales, has been documented in few cetaceans and pinnipeds. In 2012, the first case of mucormycosis in the Pacific Northwest was documented in a dead stranded harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoen...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Marine Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2020.00555/full |
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| author | Jessica L. Huggins Michael M. Garner Stephen A. Raverty Dyanna M. Lambourn Stephanie A. Norman Linda D. Rhodes Joseph K. Gaydos Jennifer K. Olson Martin Haulena M. Bradley Hanson |
| author_facet | Jessica L. Huggins Michael M. Garner Stephen A. Raverty Dyanna M. Lambourn Stephanie A. Norman Linda D. Rhodes Joseph K. Gaydos Jennifer K. Olson Martin Haulena M. Bradley Hanson |
| author_sort | Jessica L. Huggins |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Primary fungal diseases in marine mammals are rare. Mucormycosis, a disease caused by fungi of the order Mucorales, has been documented in few cetaceans and pinnipeds. In 2012, the first case of mucormycosis in the Pacific Northwest was documented in a dead stranded harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in Washington state. Since then, mucormycosis has been detected in a total of 21 marine mammals; fifteen harbor porpoises, five harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), and one southern resident killer whale (Orcinus orca). Infected animals were predominately found in the inland waters of Washington and British Columbia, and one harbor seal was recovered in northern Oregon. Fungal hyphae were detected histologically in a variety of tissues, including brain, lung, spleen, pancreas, kidneys, muscle, lymph nodes, and skin. Three fungal species were identified from seven cases by PCR screening or fungal culture; Rhizomucor pusillus (four cases), Lichtheimia corymbifera (two cases), and Cunninghamella bertholletiae. Underlying conditions such as emaciation, current or recent pregnancy, multisystemic parasitism, protozoal infection, and herpesvirus were found in several affected animals. Reasons for the appearance and subsequent increase of these fungal infections in marine mammals are unknown. The emergence of this disease as a source of marine mammal mortality in the Pacific Northwest is of particular concern for endangered southern resident killer whales that spend time in this region. Current population-level stressors such as insufficient prey, high levels of contaminants, and noise pollution, could predispose them to these fatal infections. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T10:13:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2e2093c87cd343aebfc391e4e20795cb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-7745 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T10:13:44Z |
| publishDate | 2020-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-2e2093c87cd343aebfc391e4e20795cb2022-12-21T21:11:21ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452020-07-01710.3389/fmars.2020.00555535435The Emergence of Mucormycosis in Free-Ranging Marine Mammals of the Pacific NorthwestJessica L. Huggins0Michael M. Garner1Stephen A. Raverty2Dyanna M. Lambourn3Stephanie A. Norman4Linda D. Rhodes5Joseph K. Gaydos6Jennifer K. Olson7Martin Haulena8M. Bradley Hanson9Cascadia Research Collective, Olympia, WA, United StatesNorthwest ZooPath, Monroe, WA, United StatesAnimal Health Centre, British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Abbotsford, BC, CanadaWashington Department of Fish and Wildlife Marine Mammal Investigations, Lakewood, WA, United StatesMarine-Med: Marine Research, Epidemiology, and Veterinary Medicine, Bothell, WA, United StatesNorthwest Fisheries Science Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, United StatesSeaDoc Society, UC Davis Wildlife Health Centre, Eastsound, WA, United StatesThe Whale Museum, Friday Harbor, WA, United StatesVancouver Aquarium, Vancouver, BC, CanadaNorthwest Fisheries Science Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, United StatesPrimary fungal diseases in marine mammals are rare. Mucormycosis, a disease caused by fungi of the order Mucorales, has been documented in few cetaceans and pinnipeds. In 2012, the first case of mucormycosis in the Pacific Northwest was documented in a dead stranded harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in Washington state. Since then, mucormycosis has been detected in a total of 21 marine mammals; fifteen harbor porpoises, five harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), and one southern resident killer whale (Orcinus orca). Infected animals were predominately found in the inland waters of Washington and British Columbia, and one harbor seal was recovered in northern Oregon. Fungal hyphae were detected histologically in a variety of tissues, including brain, lung, spleen, pancreas, kidneys, muscle, lymph nodes, and skin. Three fungal species were identified from seven cases by PCR screening or fungal culture; Rhizomucor pusillus (four cases), Lichtheimia corymbifera (two cases), and Cunninghamella bertholletiae. Underlying conditions such as emaciation, current or recent pregnancy, multisystemic parasitism, protozoal infection, and herpesvirus were found in several affected animals. Reasons for the appearance and subsequent increase of these fungal infections in marine mammals are unknown. The emergence of this disease as a source of marine mammal mortality in the Pacific Northwest is of particular concern for endangered southern resident killer whales that spend time in this region. Current population-level stressors such as insufficient prey, high levels of contaminants, and noise pollution, could predispose them to these fatal infections.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2020.00555/fullmucormycosisharbor porpoiseharbor sealkiller whalefungusmarine mammal |
| spellingShingle | Jessica L. Huggins Michael M. Garner Stephen A. Raverty Dyanna M. Lambourn Stephanie A. Norman Linda D. Rhodes Joseph K. Gaydos Jennifer K. Olson Martin Haulena M. Bradley Hanson The Emergence of Mucormycosis in Free-Ranging Marine Mammals of the Pacific Northwest Frontiers in Marine Science mucormycosis harbor porpoise harbor seal killer whale fungus marine mammal |
| title | The Emergence of Mucormycosis in Free-Ranging Marine Mammals of the Pacific Northwest |
| title_full | The Emergence of Mucormycosis in Free-Ranging Marine Mammals of the Pacific Northwest |
| title_fullStr | The Emergence of Mucormycosis in Free-Ranging Marine Mammals of the Pacific Northwest |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Emergence of Mucormycosis in Free-Ranging Marine Mammals of the Pacific Northwest |
| title_short | The Emergence of Mucormycosis in Free-Ranging Marine Mammals of the Pacific Northwest |
| title_sort | emergence of mucormycosis in free ranging marine mammals of the pacific northwest |
| topic | mucormycosis harbor porpoise harbor seal killer whale fungus marine mammal |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2020.00555/full |
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