| muscle metabolic profiles and fiber-type composition in some marine mammals. | 1. hexokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, 3-hydroxyacyl-coa dehydrogenase, and malate dehydrogenase activities as well as fiber type composition were determined in skeletal muscles of the california sea lion (zalophus californianus), the sea otter (enhydra lutris), and the pacific white-sided dolphin (lagenorhynchus obliquidens). 2. the subcutaneous muscle of the sea lion had intermediate glycolytic and oxidative enzyme activities. 3. the locomotory muscles examined in the otter and porpoise did not ... | 1978 | 318281 |
| [comparative anatomy of the spinal cord of semi-aquatic, aquatic and terrestrial mammals]. | skeletotopically, cervical thickening of the spinal cord in semiwater mammals (callorhinus ursinus, eumetopias jubatus, phoca larga, phoca kurilensis, enhydra lutris) corresponds to 4--5, and in terrestrial mammals (ursus arctos, vulpes vulpes)--to 3--6 cervical vertebrae. lumbar thickening in terrestrial spicies and in enhydra lutris is situated more caudally from the thoracic portion than in phocidae. in a typically water animal (phocaenoides dalli) the cervical thickening is expressed feebly, ... | 1978 | 736804 |
| aquatic ape theory and fossil hominids. | while most older palaeo-anthropological studies emphasise the similarities of the fossil hominids with modern man, recent studies often stress the unique and the apelike features of the australopithecine dentitions, skulls and postcranial bones. it is worth reconsidering the features of australopithecus, homo erectus and homo neanderthalensis in the light of the so-called aquatic ape theory (aat) of hardy and morgan, and to compare the skeletal parts of our fossil relatives with those of (semi)a ... | 1991 | 1909768 |
| molecular cloning and sequencing of interleukin 6 cdna fragments from the harbor seal (phoca vitulina), killer whale (orcinus orca), and southern sea otter (enhydra lutris nereis). | using polymerase chain reaction, interleukin-6 (il-6) cdna fragments from harbor seal (phoca vitulina), killer whale (orcinus orca), and southern sea otter (enhydra lutris nereis) were cloned and sequenced. for all three species, a continuous open reading frame encoding 203 residues for harbor seal, 199 residues for killer whale, and 201 residues for sea otter with stop codons located at analogous positions were identified. these fragments correspond to nucleotides 71 - 753 of the human il-6 tra ... | 1996 | 8575817 |
| malignant seminoma with metastasis and herpesvirus infection in a free-living sea otter (enhydra lutris). | in winter 1990, an adult male sea otter (enhydra lutris) was found dead along the eastern shore of prince william sound, alaska. necropsy findings included an enlarged retained left testicle with a twisted spermatic cord, enlarged left sublumbar lymph node, emaciation, dental attrition, oral papules and ulcers, and luminal intestinal hemorrhage associated with numerous acanthocephalids. a malignant seminoma was present in the left testicle and left sublumbar lymph node. additionally, herpesvirus ... | 1998 | 9638623 |
| coccidioidomycosis in a bottlenose dolphin. | a stranded bottlenose dolphin (tursiops truncatus gilli) succumbed to a pulmonary infection of coccidioides immitis. the dolphin initially presented with mild inspiratory dyspnea that rapidly worsened over 48 hr to include buoyancy abnormalities and finally death. at necropsy, caseous nodules were observed throughout the lungs and perihilar lymph nodes. on histological examination of tissues, double walled organisms containing endospores characteristic of c. immitis were observed in lung, perihi ... | 1998 | 9706575 |
| biological characterisation of sarcocystis neurona isolated from a southern sea otter (enhydra lutris nereis). | sarcocystis neurona was isolated from the brain of a juvenile, male southern sea otter (enhydra lutris nereis) suffering from cns disease. schizonts and merozoites in tissue sections of the otter's brain reacted with anti-s. neurona antiserum immunohistochemically. development in cell culture was by endopolyogeny and mature schizonts were first observed at 3 days postinoculation. pcr of merozoite dna using primer pairs jnb33/jnb54 and restriction enzyme digestion of the 1100 bp product with dra ... | 2000 | 10779575 |
| biological and molecular characterizations of toxoplasma gondii strains obtained from southern sea otters (enhydra lutris nereis). | toxoplasma gondii was isolated from brain or heart tissue from 15 southern sea otters (enhydra lutris nereis) in cell cultures. these strains were used to infect mice that developed antibodies to t. gondii as detected in the modified direct agglutination test and had t. gondii tissue cysts in their brains at necropsy. mouse brains containing tissue cysts from 4 of the strains were fed to 4 cats. two of the cats excreted t. gondii oocysts in their feces that were infectious for mice. molecular an ... | 2000 | 10864250 |
| the origin of lecithodesmus (digenea: campulidae) based on nd3 gene comparison. | species of lecithodesmus (campulidae) occur almost exclusively in baleen whales throughout a wide geographical distribution. other campulids occur only in odontocetes and, secondarily, in pinnipeds and the sea otter. therefore, the ancestor of lecithodesmus might have either cospeciated with mysticetes during the early divergence of mysticete and odontocete cetaceans or originated later via host switching. we evaluate both possibilities based on a phylogenetic analysis. the nd3 mitochondrial gen ... | 2000 | 10958470 |
| a generalized fecal glucocorticoid assay for use in a diverse array of nondomestic mammalian and avian species. | noninvasive fecal glucocorticoid analysis has tremendous potential as a means of assessing stress associated with environmental disturbance in wildlife. however, interspecific variation in excreted glucocorticoid metabolites requires careful selection of the antibody used in their quantification. we compared four antibodies for detecting the major fecal cortisol metabolites in yellow baboons following (3)h cortisol administration, acth challenge, and hplc separation of fecal glucocorticoid metab ... | 2000 | 11121291 |
| a review of sarcocystis neurona and equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (epm). | equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (epm) is a serious neurological disease of horses in the americas. the protozoan most commonly associated with epm is sarcocystis neurona. the complete life cycle of s. neurona is unknown, including its natural intermediate host that harbors its sarcocyst. opossums (didelphis virginiana, didelphis albiventris) are its definitive hosts. horses are considered its aberrant hosts because only schizonts and merozoites (no sarcocysts) are found in horses. epm-like di ... | 2001 | 11223193 |
| myocarditis and encephalitis associated with sarcocystis neurona infection in raccoons (procyon lotor). | sarcocystis neurona associated granulomatous encephalitis was found in 2 of 84 adult raccoons. both raccoons also had an extensive nonsuppurative myocarditis and one had s. neurona schizonts and merozoites in the myocardium. only the asexual stages (schizonts and merozoites) of s. neurona are found in tissues of naturally infected animals (horse, mink, raccoons, cats, skunk, pony, seals, sea otters) and since these have not been reported outside the central nervous system, the presence of concur ... | 2001 | 11223214 |
| dual sarcocystis neurona and toxoplasma gondii infection in a northern sea otter from washington state, usa. | dual sarcocystis neurona and toxoplasma gondii infection was observed in a northern sea otter from washington, usa. the animal was found stranded, convulsed, and died shortly thereafter. encephalitis caused by both s. neurona and t. gondii was demonstrated in histological sections of brain. immunohistochemical examination of sections with s. neurona specific antisera demonstrated developmental stages that divided by endopolygeny and produced numerous merozoites. pcr of brain tissue from the sea ... | 2001 | 11390085 |
| disseminated histoplasmosis in a sea otter (enhydra lutris). | disseminated histoplasmosis was diagnosed in a 4.75-year-old, captive female sea otter (enhydra lutris). at necropsy, the liver was found to be markedly swollen, with many nodules (4-12 mm in diameter). histologically, macrophages containing numerous intracellular yeast-like organisms were noted in the liver, spleen, lung and kidney. these organisms were labelled immunohistochemically with anti-histoplasma yeast antibody. ultrastructurally, the yeast-like organisms, 2-4 microm in diameter, were ... | 2001 | 11578140 |
| sarcocystis neurona infections in sea otter (enhydra lutris): evidence for natural infections with sarcocysts and transmission of infection to opossums (didelphis virginiana). | although sarcocystis neurona has been identified in an array of terrestrial vertebrates, recent recognition of its capacity to infect marine mammals was unexpected. here, sarcocysts from 2 naturally infected sea otters (enhydra lutris) were characterized biologically, ultrastructurally, and genetically. dna was extracted from frozen muscle of the first of these sea otters and was characterized as s. neurona by polymerase chain reation (pcr) amplification followed by restriction fragment length p ... | 2001 | 11780826 |
| control of reproduction and sex related behaviour in exotic wild carnivores with the gnrh analogue deslorelin: preliminary observations. | the gnrh analogue deslorelin, in long-acting implants, was used in an attempt to temporarily control reproduction or aggression in wild carnivores in southern africa and the usa. in the southern african study, 6 mg deslorelin was administered to cheetahs (eight females, four males), one female leopard and wild dogs (six females, one male) housed in groups, and 12 mg deslorelin was administered to two lionesses. none of the animals became pregnant after deslorelin administration apart from one wi ... | 2001 | 11787162 |
| modern ct applications in veterinary medicine. | although computed tomography (ct) is used primarily for diagnosis in humans, it can also be used to diagnose disease in veterinary patients. ct and associated three-dimensional reconstruction have a role in diagnosis of a range of illnesses in a variety of animals. in a sea turtle with failure to thrive, ct showed a nodal mass in the chest, granulomas in the lungs, and a ball in the stomach. ct of a sea dragon with balance and movement problems showed absence of the swim bladder. in a sloth with ... | 2002 | 11796898 |
| molecular epidemiology of feline bordetellosis in two animal shelters in california, usa. | "kennel cough" in dogs in animal shelters is readily transmissible, reduces adoption rates, and commonly leads to the euthanasia of affected dogs. in cats, tracheobronchitis, conjunctivitis, and pneumonia have been associated with bordetella bronchiseptica infection-but most cases of upper-respiratory infection (uri) probably are caused by herpesvirus and calicivirus, and many b. bronchiseptica culture-positive cats are clinically normal. our prospective observational study was undertaken to doc ... | 2002 | 12069777 |
| coastal freshwater runoff is a risk factor for toxoplasma gondii infection of southern sea otters (enhydra lutris nereis). | the association among anthropogenic environmental disturbance, pathogen pollution and the emergence of infectious diseases in wildlife has been postulated, but not always well supported by epidemiologic data. specific evidence of coastal contamination of the marine ecosystem with the zoonotic protozoan parasite, toxoplasma gondii, and extensive infection of southern sea otters (enhydra lutris nereis) along the california coast was documented by this study. to investigate the extent of exposure a ... | 2002 | 12076629 |
| evaluation of an indirect fluorescent antibody test (ifat) for demonstration of antibodies to toxoplasma gondii in the sea otter (enhydra lutris). | an indirect fluorescent antibody test (ifat) for detection of toxoplasma gondii infection was validated using serum from 77 necropsied southern sea otters (enhydra lutris nereis) whose t. gondii infection status was determined through immunohistochemistry and parasite isolation in cell culture. twenty-eight otters (36%) were positive for t. gondii by immunohistochemistry or parasite isolation or both, whereas 49 (64%) were negative by both tests. at a cutoff of 1:320, combined values for ifat se ... | 2002 | 12099433 |
| validation of a cell culture bioassay for detection of petroleum exposure in mink (mustela vison) as a model for detection in sea otters (enhydra lutris). | to validate a luciferase bioassay, which is based on a recombinant mouse hepatoma cell line, for the detection of exposure to petroleum in mustelid species. | 2002 | 12118676 |
| measurement of serum immunoglobulin concentration in killer whales and sea otters by radial immunodiffusion. | killer whales and sea otters maintained in captivity are the subjects of routine health monitoring programs, and interest in immunologic studies in sea otters has been rising recently in response to potential impacts from infectious disease and environmental pollution on the threatened southern sea otter population. development of species-specific reagents for immunologic studies in these two marine mammals is currently in its infancy. in this study, killer whale and sea otter immunoglobulin-spe ... | 2002 | 12383650 |
| helminth parasites of the southern sea otter enhydra lutris nereis in central california: abundance, distribution and pathology. | from october 1997 to may 2001, the gastrointestinal tracts from 162 beach-cast southern sea otters enhydra lutris nereis were examined for helminth parasites and associated lesions. carcasses were collected opportunistically in central california between pt. san pedro and pt. arguello. the primary goals of this study were to examine spatial and temporal variability in mortality due to parasite infection, identify factors associated with increased risk of infection, and illustrate the process of ... | 2003 | 12608572 |
| could cat waste be killing sea otters? | | 2003 | 12675284 |
| characterization and clinical manifestations of arcanobacterium phocae infections in marine mammals stranded along the central california coast. | between 1994 and 2000, 141 arcanobacterium phocae isolates were recovered from marine mammals that stranded along the central california coast (usa). arcanobacterium phocae was cultured from tissue sites with abnormal discharge or evidence of inflammation in 66 california sea lions (zalophus californianus), 50 pacific harbor seals (phoca vitulina richardii), 19 northern elephant seals (mirounga angustirostris), five southern sea otters (enhydra lutris nereis), and one common dolphin (delphinus d ... | 2003 | 12685077 |
| molecular and bioassay-based detection of toxoplasma gondii oocyst uptake by mussels (mytilus galloprovincialis). | toxoplasma gondii is associated with morbidity and mortality in a variety of marine mammals, including fatal meningoencephalitis in the southern sea otter (enhydra lutris nereis). the source(s) of t. gondii infection and routes of transmission in the marine environment are unknown. we hypothesise that filter-feeding marine bivalve shellfish serve as paratenic hosts by assimilation and concentration of infective t. gondii oocysts and their subsequent predation by southern sea otters is a source o ... | 2003 | 13129531 |
| patterns of mortality in southern sea otters (enhydra lutris nereis) from 1998-2001. | detailed postmortem examination of southern sea otters (enhydra lutris nereis) found along the california (usa) coast has provided an exceptional opportunity to understand factors influencing survival in this threatened marine mammal species. in order to evaluate recent trends in causes of mortality, the demographic and geographic distribution of causes of death in freshly deceased beachcast sea otters necropsied from 1998-2001 were evaluated. protozoal encephalitis, acanthocephalan-related dise ... | 2003 | 14567210 |
| toxoplasma gondii, neospora caninum, sarcocystis neurona, and sarcocystis canis-like infections in marine mammals. | toxoplasma gondii, neospora caninum, sarcocystis neurona, and s. canis are related protozoans that can cause mortality in many species of domestic and wild animals. recently, t. gondii and s. neurona were recognized to cause encephalitis in marine mammals. as yet, there is no report of natural exposure of n. caninum in marine mammals. in the present study, antibodies to t. gondii and n. caninum were assayed in sera of several species of marine mammals. for t. gondii, sera were diluted 1:25, 1:50 ... | 2003 | 14580799 |
| molecular and antigenic characterization of bordetella bronchiseptica isolated from a wild southern sea otter (enhydra lutris nereis) with severe suppurative bronchopneumonia. | bordetella bronchiseptica was isolated in pure culture from the lung, abdomen, and intestine of a wild free-ranging southern sea otter (enhydra lutris nereis) with severe, suppurative bronchopneumonia. immunohistochemistry, using antiserum raised to b. bronchiseptica, revealed strong positive staining of bacteria attached to bronchial ciliated epithelia as well as scattered positive staining in affected alveoli. western blot analysis demonstrated that virulence factors, filamentous hemagglutinin ... | 2003 | 14667021 |
| clinical pathology and assessment of pathogen exposure in southern and alaskan sea otters. | the southern sea otter (enhydra lutris nereis) population in california (usa) and the alaskan sea otter (e. lutris kenyoni) population in the aleutian islands (usa) chain have recently declined. in order to evaluate disease as a contributing factor to the declines, health assessments of these two sea otter populations were conducted by evaluating hematologic and/or serum biochemical values and exposure to six marine and terrestrial pathogens using blood collected during ongoing studies from 1995 ... | 2003 | 14733279 |
| isolation and characterization of novel helicobacter spp. from the gastric mucosa of harp seals phoca groenlandica. | since the recent discovery of helicobacter cetorum in cetaceans and its role in the development of gastritis, speculation has existed as to whether pinnipeds have helicobacter spp. associated gastritis and peptic ulcer disease. the gastric mucosa of 4 stranded harp seals phoca groenlandica from the massachusetts coastline were assessed for helicobacter spp. by culture and pcr. we cultured 2 novel helicobacter spp. from the pyloric antrum of 1 of the 4 harp seals studied, and identified these by ... | 2003 | 14735915 |
| sporulation and survival of toxoplasma gondii oocysts in seawater. | we have been collaborating since 1992 in studies on southern sea otters (enhydra lutris nereis) as part of a program to define factors, which may be responsible for limiting the growth of the southern sea otter population. we previously demonstrated toxoplasma gondii in sea otters. we postulated that cat feces containing oocysts could be entering the marine environment through storm run-off or through municipal sewage since cat feces are often disposed down toilets by cat owners. the present stu ... | 2003 | 14736220 |
| late-life action tremor in a southern sea otter (enhydris lutris nereis). | although tremor is highly prevalent in human beings, there are few reports of tremor occurring in other mammals. such tremor can further our insight into the mechanisms and anatomical basis of human tremor disorders. we report on a southern sea otter with a slowly progressive 6.5 to 8.5 hz action tremor of late life that shared several clinical characteristics with essential tremor. the main pathological finding was in the cerebellum, where there was extensive vacuolation of purkinje cells. | 2004 | 14978682 |
| an unusual genotype of toxoplasma gondii is common in california sea otters (enhydra lutris nereis) and is a cause of mortality. | toxoplasma gondii-associated meningoencephalitis is a significant disease of california sea otters (enhydra lutris nereis), responsible for 16% of total mortality in fresh, beachcast carcasses. toxoplasma gondii isolates were obtained from 35 california otters necropsied between 1998 and 2002. based on multi-locus pcr-restriction fragment length polymorphism and dna sequencing at conserved genes (18s rdna, its-1) and polymorphic genes (b1, sag1, sag3 and gra6), two distinct genotypes were identi ... | 2004 | 15003489 |
| evidence to support horses as natural intermediate hosts for sarcocystis neurona. | opossums (didelphis spp.) are the definitive host for the protozoan parasite sarcocystis neurona, the causative agent of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (epm). opossums shed sporocysts in feces that can be ingested by true intermediate hosts (cats, raccoons, skunks, armadillos and sea otters). horses acquire the parasite by ingestion of feed or water contaminated by opossum feces. however, horses have been classified as aberrant intermediate hosts because the terminal asexual sarcocyst stage ... | 2005 | 15970386 |
| comparison of helicobacter spp. genetic sequences in wild and captive seals, and gulls. | helicobacter species are widely distributed in the gastrointestinal system of humans and many animal taxa. investigations of natural infections are essential to elucidating their role within the host. the feces of fur seals arctocephalus pusillus doriferus and sea lions neophoca cinerea from 3 separate captive populations, as well as a wild colony from kangaroo island, australia, were examined for the occurrence of helicobacter spp. the feces from several wild silver gulls larus novahollandiae w ... | 2005 | 16060262 |
| transmission of toxoplasma: clues from the study of sea otters as sentinels of toxoplasma gondii flow into the marine environment. | toxoplasma gondii affects a wide variety of hosts including threatened southern sea otters (enhydra lutris nereis) which serve as sentinels for the detection of the parasite's transmission into marine ecosystems. toxoplasmosis is a major cause of mortality and contributor to the slow rate of population recovery for southern sea otters in california. an updated seroprevalence analysis showed that 52% of 305 freshly dead, beachcast sea otters and 38% of 257 live sea otters sampled along the califo ... | 2005 | 16157341 |
| biology and epidemiology of toxoplasma gondii in man and animals. | toxoplasma gondii is a coccidian parasite which utilizes felids as definitive hosts, and which has an unusually wide intermediate host range. the parasite was initially described by nicolle and manceaux in 1908 from the rodent, ctenodactylus gundi. infection with t. gondii is one of the most common parasitic infections of man and other warm-blooded animals. it has been found worldwide from alaska to australia. nearly one-third of humanity has been exposed to this parasite; serologic surveys indi ... | 2005 | 16164008 |
| neurohistochemical biomarkers of the marine neurotoxicant, domoic acid. | domoic acid and its potent excitotoxic analogues glutamic acid and kainic acid, are synthesized by marine algae such as seaweed and phytoplankton. during an algal bloom, domoic acid may enter the food web through its consumption by a variety of marine organisms held in high regard as seafoods by both animals and humans. these seafoods include clams, mussels, oysters, anchovies, sardines, crabs, and scallops, among others. animals, such as pelicans, cormorants, loons, grebes, sea otters, dolphins ... | 2005 | 16203121 |
| helicobacter spp. from captive bottlenose dolphins (tursiops spp.) and polar bears (ursus maritimus). | the gastric fluid of six bottlenose dolphins and the faeces of four polar bears from the same oceanarium were examined for the presence of helicobacter. as detected by pcr, all dolphins and 8/12 samples collected from polar bears were positive for helicobacter. novel sequence types were identified in samples collected from these animals of which several were unique to either the dolphins or the polar bears. at least one sequence type was, however, detected in both animal taxa. in addition, a seq ... | 2005 | 16266854 |
| clinical sarcocystis neurona, sarcocystis canis, toxoplasma gondii, and neospora caninum infections in dogs. | sarcocystis neurona, sarcocystis canis, toxoplasma gondii, and neospora caninum are related apicomplexans that can cause systemic illness in many species of animals, including dogs. we investigated one breeder's 25 basset hounds for these infections. in addition, tissues from dogs and other non-canine hosts previously reported as s. canis infections were studied retrospectively. schizonts resembling those of s. neurona, and recognized by polyclonal rabbit anti-s. neurona antibodies, were found i ... | 2006 | 16458431 |
| a genetically diverse but distinct north american population of sarcocystis neurona includes an overrepresented clone described by 12 microsatellite alleles. | the population genetics and systematics of most coccidians remain poorly defined despite their impact on human and veterinary health. non-recombinant parasite clones characterized by distinct transmission and pathogenesis traits persist in the coccidian toxoplasma gondii despite opportunities for sexual recombination. in order to determine whether this may be generally true for tissue-cyst forming coccidia, and to address evolutionary and taxonomic problems within the genus sarcocystis, we chara ... | 2006 | 16488197 |
| molecular phylogenetics and diagnosis of anisakis, pseudoterranova, and contracaecum from northern pacific marine mammals. | individual specimens of anisakis, pseudoterranova, and contracaecum collected from marine mammals inhabiting northern pacific waters were used for comparative diagnostic and molecular phylogenetic analyses. forty-eight new sequences were obtained for this study of 14 anisakis taxa, 8 pseudoterranova taxa, 4 contracaecum taxa, and 4 outgroup species. partial 28s (lsu) and complete internal transcribed spacer (its-1, 5.8s, its-2) ribosomal dna was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction and seq ... | 2005 | 16539026 |
| vertical distribution and probability of encountering intertidal exxon valdez oil on shorelines of three embayments within prince william sound, alaska. | we examined 32 shorelines selected at random in 2003 from shorelines in herring bay, lower pass, and bay of isles in prince william sound, alaska, to examine the vertical distribution of oil remaining from the 1989 exxon valdez oil spill and to estimate the probability that sea otters and ducks would encounter oil while foraging there. on each shoreline, sampling was stratified by 1-m tide height intervals and randomly located 0.25 m2 sampling quadrats were examined for evidence of surface and s ... | 2006 | 16830533 |
| ecological significance of residual exposures and effects from the exxon valdez oil spill. | an ecological significance framework is used to assess the ecological condition of prince william sound (pws), alaska, usa, in order to address the current management question: 17 y following the exxon valdez oil spill (evos), are there any remaining and continuing ecologically significant exposures or effects on the pws ecosystem caused by evos? we examined the extensive scientific literature funded by the exxon valdez trustees or by exxonmobil to assess exposures and effects from evos. criteri ... | 2006 | 16869437 |
| modelling the extinction of steller's sea cow. | steller's sea cow, a giant sirenian discovered in 1741 and extinct by 1768, is one of the few megafaunal mammal species to have died out during the historical period. the species is traditionally considered to have been exterminated by 'blitzkrieg'-style direct overharvesting for food, but it has also been proposed that its extinction resulted from a sea urchin population explosion triggered by extirpation of local sea otter populations that eliminated the shallow-water kelps on which sea cows f ... | 2006 | 17148336 |
| sink or swim? bone density as a mechanism for buoyancy control in early cetaceans. | previous analyses have shown that secondarily aquatic tetrapods, including whales, exhibit osteological adaptations to life in water as part of their complex buoyancy control systems. these structural specializations of bone span hyperostosis through osteoporosis. the past 15 years of paleontological effort has provided an unprecedented opportunity to examine the osteological transformation of whales as they make their transition to an obligate aquatic lifestyle over a 10-million-year period. it ... | 2007 | 17516430 |
| protozoal meningoencephalitis in sea otters (enhydra lutris): a histopathological and immunohistochemical study of naturally occurring cases. | protozoal meningoencephalitis is considered to be an important cause of mortality in the california sea otter (enhydra lutris). thirty nine of 344 (11.3%) california (ca) and washington state (wa) sea otters examined from 1985 to 2004 had histopathological evidence of significant protozoal meningoencephalitis. the aetiological agents and histopathological changes associated with these protozoal infections are described. the morphology of the actively multiplicative life stages of the organisms ( ... | 2007 | 17692867 |
| aleuts: ecosystem, holocene historys, and siberian origin: soviet and u.s. scientists join in a study of the origins of the first americans. | an original objective of these multidisciplinary studies was to determine the position of the aleuts in the aleutian ecosystem with time depth. this has been done in a variety of ways (7, 14, 20, 21). one of the most useful approaches is the construction of life expectancy tables. the greater longevity of aleuts compared with eskimos represents an effective biological and cultural human adaptation within this ecosystem. the aleuts defined their ecosystem by expanding to the limits of the area th ... | 1975 | 17798291 |
| serial depletion of marine invertebrates leads to the decline of a strongly interacting grazer. | we investigated the relative roles of natural factors and shoreline harvest leading to recent declines of the black leather chiton (katharina tunicata) on the outer kenai peninsula, alaska (u.s.a.). this intertidal mollusk is a strongly interacting grazer and a culturally important subsistence fishery for sugpiaq (chugach alutiiq) natives. we took multiple approaches to determine causes of decline. field surveys examined the significant predictors of katharina density and biomass across 11 sites ... | 2007 | 17913138 |
| evaluation of two toxoplasma gondii serologic tests used in a serosurvey of domestic cats in california. | we evaluated the sensitivity (se) and specificity (sp) of an igg enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) and igg indirect fluorescent antibody test (ifat) for detection of toxoplasma gondii-specific antibodies in sera from 2 cat populations using a bayesian approach. accounting for test covariance, the se and sp of the igg elisa were estimated to be 92.6% and 96.5%, and those of the igg ifat were 81.0% and 93.8%, respectively. both tests performed poorly in cats experimentally coinfected with ... | 2007 | 17918359 |
| strains of sarcocystis neurona exhibit differences in their surface antigens, including the absence of the major surface antigen snsag1. | a gene family of surface antigens is expressed by merozoites of sarcocystis neurona, the primary cause of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (epm). these surface proteins, designated snsags, are immunodominant and therefore excellent candidates for development of epm diagnostics or vaccines. prior work had identified an epm isolate lacking the major surface antigen snsag1, thus suggesting there may be some diversity in the snsags expressed by different s. neurona isolates. therefore, a bioinform ... | 2008 | 17980881 |
| sea otters in a dirty ocean. | the connection between the health of humans, animals, and the environments in which they live have been well recognized and have recently been referred to as one health, one medicine. an example of the interconnectedness of human, animal, and ecosystem health is provided by the situation facing southern sea otters off the us pacific coast. | 2007 | 18052796 |
| genetic diversity among sea otter isolates of toxoplasma gondii. | sea otters (enhydra lutris) have been reported to become infected with toxoplasma gondii and at times succumb to clinical disease. here, we determined genotypes of 39 t. gondii isolates from 37 sea otters in two geographically distant locations (25 from california and 12 from washington). six genotypes were identified using 10 pcr-rflp genetic markers including sag1, sag2, sag3, btub, gra6, c22-8, c29-2, l358, pk1, and apico, and by dna sequencing of loci sag1 and gra6 in 13 isolates. of these 3 ... | 2008 | 18155841 |
| modest genetic differentiation among north american populations of sarcocystis neurona may reflect expansion in its geographic range. | sarcocystis neurona is an important cause of neurological disease in horses (equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, epm) and sea otters in the united states. in addition, epm-like disease has been diagnosed in several other land and marine mammals. opossums are its only definitive hosts. little genetic diversity among isolates of s. neurona from different hosts has been reported. here, we used 11 microsatellites to characterize s. neurona dna isolated from natural infections in 22 sea otters (enhyd ... | 2008 | 18243561 |
| atypical toxoplasma gondii strain from a free-living jaguar (panthera onca) in french guiana. | like domestic cats, wild felids are involved in the complete infective cycle of toxoplasma gondii because they can host in their gastrointestinal tract sexually mature parasites and shed infective oocysts in their feces. we report, to our knowledge, the first isolation and molecular characterization of a t. gondii strain from the heart tissue of a free-living jaguar (panthera onca) in french guiana. sequencing at six polymorphic markers indicated that the jaguar isolate had an atypical genotype, ... | 2008 | 18256411 |
| transplacental toxoplasmosis in a wild southern sea otter (enhydra lutris nereis). | in september 2004, a neonatal sea otter pup was found alive on the beach in northern monterey bay, ca. efforts to locate the mother were unsuccessful. due to a poor prognosis for successful rehabilitation, the pup was euthanized. postmortem examination revealed emaciation, systemic lymphadenopathy and a malformation of the left cerebral temporal lobe. on histopathology, free tachyzoites and tissue cysts compatible with toxoplasma gondii were observed in the brain, heart, thymus, liver, lymph nod ... | 2008 | 18304737 |
| experimental infection of peromyscus californicus with toxoplasma gondii. | eight female peromyscus californicus were infected with 10(2) or 10(4) toxoplasma gondii culture-derived tachyzoites (type ii or x) isolated from southern sea otters. all but 2 mice survived infection and developed antibodies to t. gondii. the 2 fatally infected mice were inoculated with 10(4) tachyzoites of the type x strain. parasite detection by immunohistochemistry (ihc) and dna amplification with 2 polymerase chain reaction (pcr) methods was compared for brain, heart, lung, liver, spleen, b ... | 2007 | 18314680 |
| type x toxoplasma gondii in a wild mussel and terrestrial carnivores from coastal california: new linkages between terrestrial mammals, runoff and toxoplasmosis of sea otters. | sea otters in california are commonly infected with toxoplasma gondii. a unique type x strain is responsible for 72% of otter infections, but its prevalence in terrestrial animals and marine invertebrates inhabiting the same area was unknown. between 2000 and 2005, 45 terrestrial carnivores (lions, bobcats, domestic cats and foxes) and 1396 invertebrates (mussels, clams and worms) were screened for t. gondii using pcr and dna sequencing to determine the phylogeographic distribution of t. gondii ... | 2008 | 18452923 |
| snsag5 is an alternative surface antigen of sarcocystis neurona strains that is mutually exclusive to snsag1. | sarcocystis neurona is an obligate intracellular parasite that causes equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (epm). previous work has identified a gene family of paralogous surface antigens in s. neurona called snsags. these surface proteins are immunogenic in their host animals, and are therefore candidate molecules for development of diagnostics and vaccines. however, snsag diversity exists in strains of s. neurona, including the absence of the major surface antigen gene snsag1. instead, sequence ... | 2008 | 18829171 |
| sequencing and characterization of mixed function monooxygenase genes cyp1a1 and cyp1a2 of mink (mustela vison) to facilitate study of dioxin-like compounds. | as part of an ongoing effort to understand aryl hydrocarbon receptor (ahr) mediated toxicity in mink, cdnas encoding for cyp1a1 and the cyp1a2 mixed function monooxygenases were cloned and characterized. in addition, the effects of selected dibenzofurans on the expression of these genes and the presence of their respective proteins (p4501a) were investigated, and then correlated with the catalytic activities of these proteins as measured by ethoxyresorufin o-deethylase (erod) and methoxyresorufi ... | 2009 | 19041884 |
| characterization of beta-hemolytic streptococci isolated from southern sea otters (enhydra lutris nereis) stranded along the california coast. | the goal of this study was to characterize the beta-hemolytic streptococci cultured from southern sea otters (enhydra lutris nereis) stranded off the coast of california (usa) and to verify identifications made using the lancefield system. lancefield serotyping and biochemical analysis alone was inadequate for isolate characterization. final identification was based on sequence analysis of a portion of the 16s ribosomal rna gene from 12 of the 35 total isolates. the majority of isolates (10 of 1 ... | 2009 | 19117701 |
| the history of toxoplasma gondii--the first 100 years. | in this paper the history of toxoplasma gondii and toxoplasmosis is reviewed. this protozoan parasite was first discovered in 1908 and named a year later. its medical importance remained unknown until 1939 when t. gondii was identified in tissues of a congenitally infected infant, and veterinary importance became known when it was found to cause abortion storms in sheep in 1957. the discovery of a t. gondii specific antibody test, sabin-feldman dye test in 1948 led to the recognition that t. gon ... | 2008 | 19120791 |
| prey choice and habitat use drive sea otter pathogen exposure in a resource-limited coastal system. | the processes promoting disease in wild animal populations are highly complex, yet identifying these processes is critically important for conservation when disease is limiting a population. by combining field studies with epidemiologic tools, we evaluated the relationship between key factors impeding southern sea otter (enhydra lutris nereis) population growth: disease and resource limitation. this threatened population has struggled to recover despite protection, so we followed radio-tagged se ... | 2009 | 19164513 |
| remarkable resilience of teeth. | tooth enamel is inherently weak, with fracture toughness comparable with glass, yet it is remarkably resilient, surviving millions of functional contacts over a lifetime. we propose a microstructural mechanism of damage resistance, based on observations from ex situ loading of human and sea otter molars (teeth with strikingly similar structural features). section views of the enamel implicate tufts, hypomineralized crack-like defects at the enamel-dentin junction, as primary fracture sources. we ... | 2009 | 19365079 |
| phocine distemper virus in northern sea otters in the pacific ocean, alaska, usa. | phocine distemper virus (pdv) has caused 2 epidemics in harbor seals in the atlantic ocean but had never been identified in any pacific ocean species. we found that northern sea otters in alaska are infected with pdv, which has created a disease threat to several sympatric and decreasing pacific marine mammals. | 2009 | 19523293 |
| bartonella endocarditis: a pathology shared by animal reservoirsand patients. | bartonellae were first recognized to cause endocarditis in humans in 1993 when cases caused by bartonella quintana, b. elizabethae, and b. henselae were reported. since the first isolation of bartonella vinsonii subspecies berkhoffii from a dog with endocarditis, this organism has emerged as an important pathogen in dogs and an emerging pathogen in people. subsequently, four types of b. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii have been described, all of which have been associated with endocarditis in dogs. a ... | 2009 | 19538271 |
| enteric bacterial pathogen detection in southern sea otters (enhydra lutris nereis) is associated with coastal urbanization and freshwater runoff. | although protected for nearly a century, california's sea otters have been slow to recover, in part due to exposure to fecally-associated protozoal pathogens like toxoplasma gondii and sarcocystis neurona. however, potential impacts from exposure to fecal bacteria have not been systematically explored. using selective media, we examined feces from live and dead sea otters from california for specific enteric bacterial pathogens (campylobacter, salmonella, clostridium perfringens, c. difficile an ... | 2010 | 19720009 |
| primate dental enamel: what it says about diet. | what kinds of fractures do teeth sustain and how do they resist disintegration? this study involved the mechanical loading of extracted human and sea otter teeth using hard and soft indenters to simulate hard and soft diets. the tests were accompanied by real-time imaging. at least three types of fracture were seen in the enamel--median, radial and margin cracks. each kind of fracture appears to have a different cause, although the distinction between median and radial cracks blurs as they propa ... | 2009 | 19828968 |
| dogs, cats, and kin: a molecular species-level phylogeny of carnivora. | phylogenies underpin comparative biology as high-utility tools to test evolutionary and biogeographic hypotheses, inform on conservation strategies, and reveal the age and evolutionary histories of traits and lineages. as tools, most powerful are those phylogenies that contain all, or nearly all, of the taxa of a given group. despite their obvious utility, such phylogenies, other than summary 'supertrees', are currently lacking for most mammalian orders, including the order carnivora. carnivora ... | 2010 | 19900567 |
| canine distemper vaccination is a safe and useful preventive procedure for southern sea otters (enhydra lutra nereis). | from 2002 to 2006, eight captive southern sea otters (enhydra lutris nereis) at research and display institutions in california at risk of exposure to potentially lethal morbiliviruses were vaccinated with a commercial recombinant poxvirus vectored canine distemper (cd) vaccine. serum-neutralizing (sn) antibody responses were followed for several years. the goal of this study was to determine whether 1) cd vaccination was a safe preventive medicine procedure for this species; 2) sea otters produ ... | 2009 | 20063817 |
| limited genetic diversity among sarcocystis neurona strains infecting southern sea otters precludes distinction between marine and terrestrial isolates. | sarcocystis neurona is an apicomplexan parasite identified as a cause of fatal neurological disease in the threatened southern sea otter (enhydra lutris nereis). in an effort to characterize virulent s. neurona strains circulating in the marine ecosystem, this study developed a range of markers relevant for molecular genotyping. highly conserved sequences within the 18s ribosomal gene array, the plastid-encoded rna polymerase (rpob) and the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 mitochondrial gene (co1) ... | 2010 | 20071081 |
| uptake and transmission of toxoplasma gondii oocysts by migratory, filter-feeding fish. | from bottlenose dolphins, to walruses, to sea otters, the parasitic protozoan toxoplasma gondii is infecting marine mammals around the world. whereas the terrestrial transmission pathways of t. gondii are well-described, the transmission pathway by which marine mammals are being infected is unknown. we hypothesize that migratory filter feeders, specifically northern anchovies (engraulis mordax) and pacific sardines (sardinops sagax), are serving as biotic vectors for t. gondii within the marine ... | 2010 | 20097009 |
| pcb exposure in sea otters and harlequin ducks in relation to history of contamination by the exxon valdez oil spill. | exposure to contaminants other than petroleum hydrocarbons could confound interpretation of exxon valdez oil spill effects on biota at prince william sound, alaska. hence, we investigated polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs) in blood of sea otters and harlequin ducks sampled during 1998. pcb concentrations characterized by lower chlorinated congeners were highest in sea otters from the unoiled area, whereas concentrations were similar among harlequin ducks from the oiled and unoiled area. blood enzy ... | 2010 | 20132952 |
| molecular characterization of sarcocystis neurona strains from opossums (didelphis virginiana) and intermediate hosts from central california. | sarcocystis neurona is a significant cause of neurological disease in horses and other animals, including the threatened southern sea otter (enhydra lutris nereis). opossums (didelphis virginiana), the only known definitive hosts for s. neurona in north america, are an introduced species in california. s. neurona dna isolated from sporocysts and/or infected tissues of 10 opossums, 6 horses, 1 cat, 23 southern sea otters, and 1 harbor porpoise (phocoena phocoena) with natural infections was analy ... | 2010 | 20226596 |
| effect of estuarine wetland degradation on transport of toxoplasma gondii surrogates from land to sea. | the flux of terrestrially derived pathogens to coastal waters presents a significant health risk to marine wildlife, as well as to humans who utilize the nearshore for recreation and seafood harvest. anthropogenic changes in natural habitats may result in increased transmission of zoonotic pathogens to coastal waters. the objective of our work was to evaluate how human-caused alterations of coastal landscapes in california affect the transport of toxoplasma gondii to estuarine waters. toxoplasma ... | 2010 | 20802072 |
| evidence for a novel marine harmful algal bloom: cyanotoxin (microcystin) transfer from land to sea otters. | "super-blooms" of cyanobacteria that produce potent and environmentally persistent biotoxins (microcystins) are an emerging global health issue in freshwater habitats. monitoring of the marine environment for secondary impacts has been minimal, although microcystin-contaminated freshwater is known to be entering marine ecosystems. here we confirm deaths of marine mammals from microcystin intoxication and provide evidence implicating land-sea flow with trophic transfer through marine invertebrate ... | 2010 | 20844747 |
| endangered sea otters threatened by toxic algae. | | 2010 | 21137600 |
| self-mating in the definitive host potentiates clonal outbreaks of the apicomplexan parasites sarcocystis neurona and toxoplasma gondii. | tissue-encysting coccidia, including toxoplasma gondii and sarcocystis neurona, are heterogamous parasites with sexual and asexual life stages in definitive and intermediate hosts, respectively. during its sexual life stage, t. gondii reproduces either by genetic out-crossing or via clonal amplification of a single strain through self-mating. out-crossing has been experimentally verified as a potent mechanism capable of producing offspring possessing a range of adaptive and virulence potentials. ... | 2010 | 21203443 |
| exposure of sea otters and harlequin ducks in prince william sound, alaska, usa, to shoreline oil residues 20 years after the exxon valdez oil spill. | we assessed whether sea otters and harlequin ducks in an area of western prince william sound, alaska, usa (pws), oiled by the 1989 exxon valdez oil spill (evos), are exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (pah) from oil residues 20 years after the spill. spilled oil has persisted in pws for two decades as surface oil residues (sor) and subsurface oil residues (ssor) on the shore. the rare sor are located primarily on the upper shore as inert, nonhazardous asphaltic deposits, and ssor are c ... | 2011 | 21298711 |
| genetic analyses of atypical toxoplasma gondii strains reveal a fourth clonal lineage in north america. | toxoplasma gondii is a widespread parasite of animals that causes zoonotic infections in humans. previous studies have revealed a strongly clonal population structure in north america and europe, while strains from south america are genetically separate and more diverse. however, the composition within north america has been questioned by recent descriptions of genetically more variable strains from this region. here, we examined an expanded set of isolates using sequenced-based phylogenetic and ... | 2011 | 21320505 |
| adaptation to hard-object feeding in sea otters and hominins. | the large, bunodont postcanine teeth in living sea otters (enhydra lutris) have been likened to those of certain fossil hominins, particularly the 'robust' australopiths (genus paranthropus). we examine this evolutionary convergence by conducting fracture experiments on extracted molar teeth of sea otters and modern humans (homo sapiens) to determine how load-bearing capacity relates to tooth morphology and enamel material properties. in situ optical microscopy and x-ray imaging during simulated ... | 2011 | 21474163 |
| genetic characterisation of toxoplasma gondii in wildlife from north america revealed widespread and high prevalence of the fourth clonal type. | little is known of the genetic diversity of toxoplasma gondii circulating in wildlife. in the present study wild animals, including dolphins, from the usa were examined for t. gondii infection. tissues of naturally exposed animals were bioassayed in mice for isolation of viable parasites. viable t. gondii was isolated from 31 animals including, to our knowledge for the first time, from a bald eagle (haliaeetus leucocephalus), five gray wolves (canis lupus), a woodrat (neotoma micropus), and five ... | 2011 | 21802422 |
| sarcocystis neurona retinochoroiditis in a sea otter (enhydra lutris kenyoni). | sarcocystis neurona is an important cause of fatal disease in sea otters in the usa. encephalitis is the predominant lesion and parasites are confined to the central nervous system and muscles. here we report retinochoroiditis in a sea otter (enhydra lutris kenyoni) found dead on copalis beach, wa, usa. salient lesions were confined to the brain and eye. multifocal nonsuppurative meningoencephalitis was present in the cerebrum and cerebellum associated with s. neurona schizonts. the retina of on ... | 2011 | 21782345 |
| assessment of clinical pathology and pathogen exposure in sea otters (enhydra lutris) bordering the threatened population in alaska. | northern sea otter (enhydra lutris kenyoni) abundance has decreased dramatically over portions of southwest alaska, usa, since the mid-1980s, and this stock is currently listed as threatened under the endangered species act. in contrast, adjacent populations in south central alaska, usa, and russia have been stable to increasing during the same period. sea otters bordering the area classified in the recent decline were live-captured during 2004-2006 at bering island, russia, and the kodiak archi ... | 2011 | 21719822 |
| serological evidence of toxoplasma gondii infection in captive marine mammals in mexico. | toxoplasma gondii infection in marine mammals is important because they are considered as a sentinel for contamination of seas with t. gondii oocysts, and toxoplasmosis causes mortality in these animals, particularly sea otters. serological evidence of t. gondii infection was determined in 75 captive marine mammals from four facilities in southern and central geographical regions in mexico using the modified agglutination test (mat). antibodies (mat, 1:25 or higher) to t. gondii were found in 55 ... | 2011 | 21944844 |
| mustelid herpesvirus-2, a novel herpes infection in northern sea otters (enhydra lutris kenyoni). | oral ulcerations and plaques with epithelial eosinophilic intranuclear inclusions were observed in northern sea otters (enhydra lutris kenyoni) that died or were admitted for rehabilitation after the 1989 exxon valdez oil spill (evos) in alaska, usa. transmission electron microscopy demonstrated the presence of herpesviral virions. additionally, a serologic study from 2004 to 2005 found a high prevalence of exposure to a herpesvirus in live-captured otters. tissues from 29 otters after the evos ... | 2012 | 22247388 |
| quantifying population-level risks using an individual-based model: sea otters, harlequin ducks, and the exxon valdez oil spill. | ecological risk assessments need to advance beyond evaluating risks to individuals, largely based on toxicity studies on a few species under laboratory conditions, to assessing population-level risks to the environment, including considerations of variability and uncertainty. two individual-based models (ibms), recently developed to assess current risks to sea otters and seaducks in prince william sound more than two decades after the exxon valdez oil spill (evos), are used to explore population ... | 2012 | 22275071 |
| a systematic review of changes in marine mammal health in north america, 1972-2012: the need for a novel integrated approach. | marine mammals are often cited as "sentinels of ocean health" yet accessible, synthesized data on their health changes that could effectively warn of ocean health changes are rare. the objectives of this study were to 1) perform a systematic review of published cases of marine mammal disease to determine spatial and temporal trends in disease from 1972-2012, including changes in regions and taxa affected and specific causes; and 2) compare numbers of published cases of neoplasia with known, hosp ... | 2015 | 26579715 |
| genotypic characterization of streptococcus infantarius subsp. coli isolates from sea otters with infective endocarditis and/or septicemia and from environmental mussel samples. | pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (pfge) was used to type 128 streptococcus infantarius subsp. coli isolates from sea otters and mussels. six smai pfge groups were detected, with one predominant group representing 57% of the isolates collected over a wide geographic region. several sea otter and mussel isolates were highly related, suggesting that an environmental infection source is possible. | 2012 | 23052307 |
| phocine distemper virus: current knowledge and future directions. | phocine distemper virus (pdv) was first recognized in 1988 following a massive epidemic in harbor and grey seals in north-western europe. since then, the epidemiology of infection in north atlantic and arctic pinnipeds has been investigated. in the western north atlantic endemic infection in harp and grey seals predates the european epidemic, with relatively small, localized mortality events occurring primarily in harbor seals. by contrast, pdv seems not to have become established in european ha ... | 2014 | 25533658 |
| a protozoal-associated epizootic impacting marine wildlife: mass-mortality of southern sea otters (enhydra lutris nereis) due to sarcocystis neurona infection. | during april 2004, 40 sick and dead southern sea otters (enhydra lutris nereis) were recovered over 18km of coastline near morro bay, california. this event represented the single largest monthly spike in mortality ever recorded during 30 years of southern sea otter stranding data collection. because of the point-source nature of the event and clinical signs consistent with severe, acute neurological disease, exposure to a chemical or marine toxin was initially considered. however, detailed post ... | 2010 | 20615616 |
| bartonella spp. exposure in northern and southern sea otters in alaska and california. | since 2002, an increased number of northern sea otters (enhydra lutris kenyoni) from southcentral alaska have been reported to be dying due to endocarditis and/or septicemia with infection by streptococcus infantarius subsp. coli. bartonella spp. dna was also detected in northern sea otters as part of mortality investigations during this unusual mortality event (ume) in kachemak bay, alaska. to evaluate the extent of exposure to bartonella spp. in sea otters, sera collected from necropsied and l ... | 2014 | 25514118 |
| oral papillomatosis caused by enhydra lutris papillomavirus 1 (elpv-1) in southern sea otters (enhydra lutris nereis) in california, usa. | the southern sea otter (enhydra lutris nereis) is a threatened marine sentinel. during postmortem investigations of stranded sea otters from 2004 to 2013 in california, us, papillomas were detected in the oral cavity of at least seven otters via necropsy and histopathology. next-generation sequencing of viral particles purified from a single papilloma revealed a novel papillomavirus, enhydra lutris papillomavirus 1 (elpv-1). the genome of elpv-1 was obtained, representing the first fully sequenc ... | 2015 | 25647597 |
| evolutionary relationships between digeneans of the family brachycladiidae odhner, 1905 and their marine mammal hosts: a cophylogenetic study. | cophylogenetic studies examine the congruence between host and parasite phylogenies. there are few studies that quantify the relative contribution of coevolutionary events, i.e. duplication, loss, failure-to-diverge, host-switching and spreading in trophically-transmitted parasites at the marine realm. we addressed this issue in the brachycladiidae, a cosmopolitan digenean family specific to marine mammals. we used, for the first time, distance-based and event-based methods to explicitly test th ... | 2016 | 26721312 |
| isolation and characterization of a novel marine brucella from a southern sea otter (enhydra lutris nereis), california, usa. | we characterize brucella infection in a wild southern sea otter ( enhydra lutris nereis) with osteolytic lesions similar to those reported in other marine mammals and humans. this otter stranded twice along the central california coast, us over a 1-yr period and was handled extensively at two wildlife rehabilitation facilities, undergoing multiple surgeries and months of postsurgical care. ultimately the otter was euthanized due to severe, progressive neurologic disease. necropsy and postmortem ... | 2017 | 28151078 |
| pathogen exposure and blood chemistry in the washington, usa population of northern sea otters (enhydra lutris kenyoni). | northern sea otters (enhydra lutris kenyoni) from washington state, united states were evaluated in 2011 to determine health status and pathogen exposure. antibodies to brucella spp. (10%) and influenza a virus (23%) were detected for the first time in this population in 2011. changes in clinical pathology values (serum chemistries), exposure to pathogens, and overall health of the population over the last decade were assessed by comparing 2011 data to the data collected on this population in 20 ... | 2013 | 24502716 |
| coxiella burnetii exposure in northern sea otters enhydra lutris kenyoni. | valvular endocarditis has been well described in northern sea otters enhydra lutris kenyoni of alaska and in many cases no cause has been identified. it is also one of the most common conditions observed in people with chronic coxiella burnetii infection. given the high levels of c. burnetii exposure in marine mammals distributed throughout the same geographic range as the northern sea otter, and the presence of valvular lesions seen in otters, the objective of this study was to determine the le ... | 2015 | 25958809 |
| serologic evidence of influenza a(h1n1)pdm09 virus infection in northern sea otters. | | 2014 | 24751396 |
| locally acquired disseminated histoplasmosis in a northern sea otter (enhydra lutris kenyoni) in alaska, usa. | histoplasmosis of local origin has not been reported in humans or wildlife in alaska, and the disease has never been reported in a free-ranging marine mammal. in 2005 a northern sea otter (enhydra lutris kenyoni) was found on kodiak island, alaska, at 57° latitude north, far outside the known distribution of histoplasma capsulatum. the animal died of disseminated histoplasmosis. microorganisms consistent with histoplasma sp. were observed on histopathology, and h. capsulatum was identified by pc ... | 2014 | 24484503 |