[MARMAM] New Publication: "First description of a Gammaherpesvirus in a common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea"
Dear MARMAM community, on behalf of my co-authors, I am happy to share with you a new publication: "First description of a Gammaherpesvirus in a common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea" https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11259-023-10125-x Abstract In September 2020, a male common dolphin (*Delphinus delphis*) was found dead on a beach near Bat-Yam, Israel. A small, raised, well circumscribed penile lesion (*i.e.,* mass) was identified and removed for histology and molecular characterizations. By histology, the penile mass presented focal keratinization of the squamous epithelium and a mild ballooning of acanthocytes in lower epithelium levels, as well as features compatible with viral plaques, and tested positive for a gammaherpesvirus through molecular characterization analyses. Tissue samples from the lungs, liver, and spleen, however, tested negative for herpesvirus infection. The gammaherpesvirus detected herein is similar to other isolates found in several areas worldwide in different cetacean species. This is the first reported case of gammaherpesvirus infection in dolphins from the eastern Mediterranean Sea, indicative of the need for long-term assessments to create viral infections databases in cetaceans, especially in a climate change context, which is likely to intensify infectious disease outbreaks in marine mammals in the future. Danny Morick ___ MARMAM mailing list MARMAM@lists.uvic.ca https://lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/marmam
[MARMAM] publication option for wild marine mammals’ health related articles
Subject: publication option for wild marine mammals’ health related articles: *Animals* Special Issue - Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses of Wild Marine Animals Dear MARMAM subscribers, *Animals* Special Issue - Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses of Wild Marine Animals ((IF=2.323, Q1, Veterinary Sciences) is accepting articles related to marine animals' diseases and, hopefully, will have a special chapter for marine mammal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses. Researchers in this field are welcome to submit articles for peer review and contribute to marine mammal research and conservation. Over the past few decades, there has been a global increase in the reporting of diseases affecting marine mammals. Climate change is additional pressure on marine ecosystems that are already subject to many anthropogenic disturbances, such as overfishing, pollution, and habitat destruction. Environmental conditions play a crucial role not only in pathogen transmission between marine mammals but also as risk factors for clinical disease occurrence. Dolphins, seals, sea lions, and other marine mammals are all susceptible to infectious diseases and some of these pathogens can transmit diseases to humans. Marine zoonoses represent a public health problem, which is an understatement considering the status of the world's citizenry and socio-economic fallout. Numerous pathogens and many different transmission modes are involved, and many factors influence the epidemiology of disease transmission. Surveillance, laboratory diagnostics, research, training, and education are key elements in combating the upsurge of infectious agents and zoonoses in and from the sea. For further details, please contact: Dr. Danny Morick, DVM, Ph.D., CertAqV Email: dmor...@univ.haifa.ac.il *Guest Editor * ___ MARMAM mailing list MARMAM@lists.uvic.ca https://lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/marmam
[MARMAM] New publication: Detection of Toxoplasma gondii in three common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus); A first description from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Dear Colleagues, We are pleased to share our recent publication in Veterinary Parasitology: Detection of *Toxoplasma* *gondii* in three common bottlenose dolphins ( *Tursiops* *truncatus*); A first description from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Eyal Bigal, Danny Morick, Aviad P.Scheinin, , Harold Salant, Asaf Berkowitz, Roni King, Yaniv Levy, Mar Melero, José Manuel Sánchez-Vizcaíno, Oz Goffman, Nir Hadar, Mia Roditi-Elasar and Dan Tchernov Abstract *Toxoplasma gondii* has been described in several marine mammals around the world including numerous species of cetaceans, yet infection and transmission mechanisms in the marine environment are not clearly defined. The Israel Marine Mammal Research and Assistance Center has been collating a database of all marine mammal stranding events along the country’s national coastlines since 1993. In this study, we describe the molecular detection and characterisation of *T*. *gondii* in three common bottlenose dolphins (*Tursiops* *truncatus*) including one case of coinfection with herpesvirus. The animals were found stranded on the Mediterranean coast of Israel in May and November 2013. In one of the three cases, the dolphin was found alive and admitted to intensive care. To our knowledge, this is the first report of *T*. *gondii* infection of marine mammals in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. As this parasite acts as an indicator for marine pollution and marine mammal health, we believe these findings add important information regarding the state of the environment in this region. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304401718302279 Best wishes, Danny Morick ___ MARMAM mailing list MARMAM@lists.uvic.ca https://lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/marmam
