Retrospective seroepidemiological investigations against Morbillivirus, Toxoplasma gondii and Brucella spp. in cetaceans stranded along the Italian coastline (1998-2014).
This study reports the results of seroepidemiological investigations carried out against Morbillivirus, Toxoplasma gondii and Brucella spp. on blood serum samples collected from 70 cetacean specimens found stranded along the Italian coastline between 1998 and 2014. A total number of 23 serum samples (32.8%) obtained from Stenella coeruleoalba, Tursiops truncatus, Balaenoptera physalus and Globicephala melas harboured anti-Morbillivirus neutralizing antibodies. Ten sera (16%) collected from S. coeruleoalba and T. truncatus were found positive against T. gondii, while no antibodies against Brucella spp. were found. These data reveal that stranded cetaceans provide a unique opportunity for monitoring the health status of free-ranging animals living in the Mediterranean Sea, in order to investigate the level of exposure of cetacean populations to selected infectious agents representing a serious threat for aquatic mammals.
University of Teramo, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Teramo, Italy.
Francesca
F
Profeta
University of Teramo, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Teramo, Italy.
Cristina Esmeralda
CE
Di Francesco
University of Teramo, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Teramo, Italy.
Fulvio
F
Marsilio
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale (IZS) del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Italy.
Walter
W
Mignone
IZS del Mezzogiorno, Italy.
Fabio
F
Di Nocera
IZS del Mezzogiorno, Italy.
Esterina
E
De Carlo
IZS del Mezzogiorno, Italy.
Giuseppe
G
Lucifora
University of Teramo, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Teramo, Italy.
Guido
G
Pietroluongo
University of Teramo, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Teramo, Italy.
Marina
M
Baffoni
IZS delle Regioni Lazio e Toscana "M. Aleandri", Italy.
Cristiano
C
Cocumelli
IZS delle Regioni Lazio e Toscana "M. Aleandri", Italy.
Claudia
C
Eleni
IZS delle Regioni Lazio e Toscana "M. Aleandri", Italy.
Giuliana
G
Terracciano
IZS dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "G. Caporale", Italy.
Nicola
N
Ferri
IZS dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "G. Caporale", Italy.
Gabriella
G
Di Francesco
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale (IZS) del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Italy.
Cristina
C
Casalone
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale (IZS) del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Italy.
Alessandra
A
Pautasso
Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padova, Legnaro (PD), Italy.
Sandro
S
Mazzariol
Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padova, Legnaro (PD), Italy.
Cinzia
C
Centelleghe
University of Teramo, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Teramo, Italy. Electronic address: gdiguardo@unite.it.
Giovanni
G
Di Guardo
D000818:Animals; D050681:Bottle-Nosed Dolphin; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002102:Cadaver; D002591:Cetacea / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000821:virology*; D050617:Fin Whale; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D018185:Morbillivirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D050706:Stenella; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology*
Brucella spp.; Cetaceans; Mediterranean Sea; Morbillivirus; Serology; Toxoplasma gondii