My colleagues and I are pleased to announce the publication of the following
OPEN ACCESS paper in Nature Scientific Reports:
Burgess, T.L., Tinker, M.T., Miller, M.A. et al. Spatial epidemiological
patterns suggest mechanisms of land-sea transmission for Sarcocystis neurona in
a coastal marine mammal. Sci Rep 10, 3683 (2020).
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-60254-5
<https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-60254-5>
Abstract
Sarcocystis neurona was recognised as an important cause of mortality in
southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) after an outbreak in April 2004 and
has since been detected in many marine mammal species in the Northeast Pacific
Ocean. Risk of S. neurona exposure in sea otters is associated with consumption
of clams and soft-sediment prey and is temporally associated with runoff
events. We examined the spatial distribution of S. neurona exposure risk based
on serum antibody testing and assessed risk factors for exposure in animals
from California, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska. Significant spatial
clustering of seropositive animals was observed in California and Washington,
compared with British Columbia and Alaska. Adult males were at greatest risk
for exposure to S. neurona, and there were strong associations with terrestrial
features (wetlands, cropland, high human housing-unit density). In California,
habitats containing soft sediment exhibited greater risk than hard substrate or
kelp beds. Consuming a diet rich in clams was also associated with increased
exposure risk. These findings suggest a transmission pathway analogous to that
described for Toxoplasma gondii, with infectious stages traveling in freshwater
runoff and being concentrated in particular locations by marine habitat
features, ocean physical processes, and invertebrate bioconcentration.
--
Tristan Burgess BVSc, PhD
Principal Scientist
Acadia Wildlife Services <http://www.acadiawildlifeservices.com/>
P.O. Box 56
South Freeport, ME 04078
Ph: (207) 370 5518
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