title: Dolphin Morbillivirus in a Cuvier's Beaked Whale (Ziphius cavirostris), Italy.
abstract: Dolphin morbillivirus (DMV) has caused several mortality events in Mediterranean striped (Stenella coeruleoalba) and bottlenose (Tursiops truncatus) dolphins populations since 19; in the last 5 years, the virus was reported to infect new hosts in this basin, such as fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), and even a harbor seal (Phoca vitulina). Very recently, a calf Cuvier's beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) calf stranded on the Southern Italian coastline with mild pathological findings suggestive of morbilliviral infection, received the first confirmation of DMV infection in this species by biomolecular evidences on lung tissue. This new cross-species infection report, along with 19% of the cetaceans specimens examined by the Italian Stranding Network being found positive to DMV, support the hypothesis of an endemic circulation of this virus among Mediterranean cetaceans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padova Legnaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Centelleghe
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padova Legnaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Beffagna
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padova Legnaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Palmisano
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padua Legnaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Franzo
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Casalone
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pautasso
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giorda
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno Portici, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Nocera
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno Portici, Italy.
authors.forename: Doriana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Iaccarino
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno Portici, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santoro
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo Teramo, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Guardo
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padova Legnaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mazzariol
keywords: Cuvier’s beaked whale; Mediterranean Sea; cross-species infection; dolphin morbillivirus; virology