In the lab of cetacean ecology in CICIMAR (La Paz, Mexico) we have
lately published a short communications about quantitative
parasitology in blue whales…
Flores-Cascante, L. and Gendron, D. 2012. Application of McMaster's
technique in live blue whale. Veterinary Record;171:9 220
doi:10.1136/vr.100749 ([email protected])
Summary:
Due to field sampling constrictions, studies on the intestinal
parasite load in free ranging cetaceans is lacking. Reports on
cetacean parasites have generally been obtained from stranded and
harvested animals and thus cannot be considered representative of the
“normal’ population. In the case of the blue whale, Balaenoptera
musculus few descriptions of the parasitic fauna exist and the
information is qualitative. Standardized methodologies are essential
to evaluate the baseline data on the population's parasite load, as
well as on the relationship between parasite and host, and to optimize
long-term study. Here we report the use and optimization of the
McMaster technique for the quantization of parasite eggs in feces of
terrestrial mammals as applied to the blue whale. We collected 30
feces samples of blue whales during our 2009-2011 winter-spring
fieldwork in the southwestern Gulf of California, Mexico. Subsample of
feces were collected opportunistically at the sea surface and were
preserved in formalin at 5 % and dehydrated for 24hrs. The flotation
solution, Zinc Sulfate was chosen over the modified Sheather’s
Solution since the transparency allowed better observation of the
eggs. The effective sample size was estimated using 0.3, 0.5 and 1gr
of dried feces. No significant difference in the count of egg
parasites per gram of dry feces (EPG) was found between sample sizes
(p> 0.05), and the parasite load was estimated from 0.5 gram at the
Helminth level. The average intensity was 356 EPG ranging from 100 to
1250 and corresponded to 19 different blue whale individuals. Three
individuals were re-sampled more than once during one season and EPG
counts were constant (p>0.05). Adult acanthocephalans of the genus
Bolbosoma sp were found in the samples, a genus previously reported
for the Northeastern Pacific blue whales. The use of the McMaster
technique to assess parasite load in blue whales offers an important
new parameter that can be easily monitored.
Regards, Lavinia.
-----------------------------
Biol. Mar. Lavinia F. Cascante
Estudiante de M.C. en Manejo de Recursos Marinos
Laboratorio de Cetáceos y Quelonios
CICIMAR - IPN
La Paz, BCS. México
La información de este correo así como la contenida en los documentos
que se adjuntan, pueden ser objeto de solicitudes de acceso a la información.
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