| associations between mercury and hepatic, renal, endocrine, and hematological parameters in atlantic bottlenose dolphins (tursiops truncatus) along the eastern coast of florida and south carolina. | we evaluated associations between total mercury (hg) concentrations in blood and skin and endocrine, hepatic, renal, and hematological parameters in free-ranging bottlenose dolphins (tursiops truncatus). dolphins in indian river lagoon, fl had higher concentrations of hg in blood (0.67 µg/l wet wt) and skin (7.24 µg/g dry wt) compared with those from charleston harbor, sc (0.15 µg/l wet wt, 1.68 µg/g dry wt). an inverse relationship was observed between blood and skin hg concentrations and total ... | 2011 | 21340575 |
| major pathologic findings and probable causes of mortality in bottlenose dolphins stranded in south carolina from 1993 to 2006. | although cause-of-death information on bottlenose dolphins (tursiops truncatus) can be located in the literature, few citations include mortality data over a long period of time covering a broad geographic region. this study describes major pathologic findings and probable causes of death of bottlenose dolphins over a 14-yr period (1993-2006) for the coastal region of south carolina. probable causes of death for 97 cases were determined based on gross pathology and histopathology. in an addition ... | 2009 | 19617469 |
| examination of naturally exposed bottlenose dolphins (tursiops truncatus) for microsporidia, cryptosporidium, and giardia. | bottlenose dolphins (tursiops truncatus) captured in the estuarine waters off the coasts of south carolina and florida were examined for the presence of microsporidia, cryptosporidium sp., and giardia sp. dna extracted from feces or rectal swabs was amplified by polymerase chain reaction using parasite-specific small subunit ribosomal rna gene primers. all positive specimens were subjected to gene sequence analysis. of 83 dolphins, 17 were positive for microsporidia. none was positive for crypto ... | 2008 | 18372633 |
| a comparison of several serologic tests to detect antibodies to toxoplasma gondii in naturally exposed bottlenose dolphins (tursiops truncatus). | toxoplasma gondii infection in marine mammals is intriguing and indicative of contamination of the ocean environment and coastal waters with oocysts. in a previous study, 138 of 141 (97.8%) bottlenose dolphins (tursiops truncatus) from the coasts of florida and california had antibodies to t. gondii by the modified agglutination test (mat). although the mat has been found to be highly sensitive and specific for t. gondii antibodies from several species of terrestrial animals, it has not yet been ... | 2005 | 16419751 |
| real-time pcr assays for detection of brucella spp. and the identification of genotype st27 in bottlenose dolphins (tursiops truncatus). | rapid detection of brucella spp. in marine mammals is challenging. microbiologic culture is used for definitive diagnosis of brucellosis, but is time consuming, has low sensitivity and can be hazardous to laboratory personnel. serological methods can aid in diagnosis, but may not differentiate prior exposure versus current active infection and may cross-react with unrelated gram-negative bacteria. this study reports a real-time pcr assay for the detection of brucella spp. and application to scre ... | 2014 | 24632518 |
| patterns of population structure for inshore bottlenose dolphins along the eastern united states. | globally distributed, the bottlenose dolphin (tursiops truncatus) is found in a range of offshore and coastal habitats. using 15 microsatellite loci and mtdna control region sequences, we investigated patterns of genetic differentiation among putative populations along the eastern us shoreline (the indian river lagoon, florida, and charleston harbor, south carolina) (microsatellite analyses: n = 125, mtdna analyses: n = 132). we further utilized the mtdna to compare these populations with those ... | 2017 | 24129993 |
| associations between perfluoroalkyl compounds and immune and clinical chemistry parameters in highly exposed bottlenose dolphins (tursiops truncatus). | perfluoroalkyl compounds (pfcs) are ubiquitous, persistent chemical contaminants found in the environment, wildlife, and humans. despite the widespread occurrence of pfcs, little is known about the impact these contaminants have on the health of wildlife populations. the authors investigated the relationship between pfcs (including ∑perfluorocarboxylates, ∑perfluoroalkyl sulfonates, perfluorooctane sulfonate, perfluorooctanoic acid, and perfluorodecanoic acid) and the clinocopathologic and immun ... | 2013 | 23322558 |
| polybrominated diphenyl ethers and their hydroxylated analogs in plasma of bottlenose dolphins (tursiops truncatus) from the united states east coast. | polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes) and hydroxylated pbdes (oh-pbdes) were determined in plasma of free-ranging bottlenose dolphins (tursiops truncatus) from charleston (chs), south carolina, and the indian river lagoon (irl), florida, u.s.a. significantly lower sums (sigma) of pbde concentrations (sum of 12 congeners) were found in animals from the irl (arithmetic mean, 5.45 +/- 4.63 ng/g wet wt) compared with those from chs (30 +/- 40 ng/g wet wt). brominated diphenyl ether (bde)-47 was the ... | 2009 | 19499968 |
| mucocutaneous lesions in free-ranging atlantic bottlenose dolphins tursiops truncatus from the southeastern usa. | mucocutaneous lesions were biopsied from free-ranging atlantic bottlenose dolphins tursiops truncatus inhabiting the indian river lagoon (irl), florida, and estuarine waters of charleston (chs), south carolina, usa, between 2003 and 2013. a total of 78 incisional biopsies from 58 dolphins (n=43 irl, n=15 chs) were examined. thirteen dolphins had 2 lesions biopsied at the same examination, and 6 dolphins were re-examined and re-biopsied at time intervals varying from 1 to 8 yr. biopsy sites inclu ... | 2015 | 26290502 |
| health and environmental risk assessment project for bottlenose dolphins tursiops truncatus from the southeastern usa. i. infectious diseases. | from 2003 to 2015, 360 free-ranging atlantic bottlenose dolphins tursiops truncatus inhabiting the indian river lagoon (irl, n = 246), florida, and coastal waters of charleston (chs, n = 114), south carolina, usa, were captured, given comprehensive health examinations, and released as part of a multidisciplinary and multi-institutional study of individual and population health. the aim of this review is to summarize the substantial health data generated by this study and to examine morbidity bet ... | 2017 | 28737159 |
| health and environmental risk assessment project for bottlenose dolphins tursiops truncatus from the southeastern usa. ii. environmental aspects. | bottlenose dolphins tursiops truncatus are the most common apex predators found in coastal and estuarine ecosystems along the southeastern coast of the usa, where these animals are exposed to multiple chemical pollutants and microbial agents. in this review, we summarize the results of investigations of environmental exposures evaluated in 360 free-ranging dolphins between 2003 and 2015. bottlenose dolphins inhabiting the indian river lagoon, florida (irl, n = 246), and coastal waters of charles ... | 2017 | 28737160 |