title: Renal lesions in cetaceans from Brazil.
abstract: This study reports the occurrence of renal lesions in cetaceans from the coast of Brazil subjected to necropsy examination between 1996 and 2011. The animals (n = 192) were by-caught in fishing nets, were found dead on beaches or died despite attempted rehabilitation. Kidney samples were evaluated grossly and microscopically and, depending on the histopathological findings, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural analyses were conducted. Due to autolysis, a diagnosis was reached in only 128 animals, of which 82 (64.1%) had kidney lesions. Cystic renal disease was the most common lesion observed in 34 cases (26.6%) and these were classified as simple cysts in eight cases (6.3%), polycystic kidney disease in one rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis), secondary glomerulocystic disease in 16 cases (12.5%) and primary glomerulocystic disease in nine cases (7%). Other lesions included membranous glomerulonephritis (28 cases; 21.9%), membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (20 cases; 15.6%), lymphoplasmacytic interstitial nephritis (21 cases; 16.4%), lipidosis (19 cases; 14.8%), glomerulosclerosis (8 cases; 6.3%) and pyogranulomatous nephritis(five cases; 3.9%); two of the later were associated with the migration of nematode larvae. Additionally, tubular adenoma was identified in a Franciscana (Pontoporia blainvillei). The pathological implications of these lesions are discussed according the cause of death, age or sex of the animals. Furthermore, the lesions were compared with those of other marine and terrestrial mammals, including man.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA; Laboratório de Patologia Comparada de Animais Selvagens (LAPCOM), Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: gonzalesviera@ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gonzales-Viera
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Patologia Comparada de Animais Selvagens (LAPCOM), Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; International Fund for Animal Welfare, Yarmouth Port, MA, USA.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ruoppolo
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Patologia Comparada de Animais Selvagens (LAPCOM), Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Projeto Biopesca, Praia Grande, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marigo
authors.affiliation: Associação de Pesquisa e Preservação de Ecossistemas Aquáticos, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Patologia Comparada de Animais Selvagens (LAPCOM), Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Groch
authors.affiliation: Projeto Biopesca, Praia Grande, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Bertozzi
authors.affiliation: Laboratório da Disciplina de Patologia de Doenças Transmissíveis, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Takakura
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Microscopia Eletrônica, Centro de Procedimentos Interdisciplinares, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Namiyama
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Patologia Comparada de Animais Selvagens (LAPCOM), Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: R E T
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Vanstreels
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Patologia Comparada de Animais Selvagens (LAPCOM), Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Catão-Dias
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D002591:Cetacea; D015994:Incidence; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology*; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: cetaceans; cystic renal disease; kidney; pathology