Epidemiological investigation of tattoo-like skin lesions among bottlenose dolphins in Shark Bay, Australia
Epidemiological investigation of tattoo-like skin lesions among bottlenose dolphins in Shark Bay, Australia
复制标题
澳大利亚鲨鱼湾宽吻海豚纹身样皮肤病变的流行病学调查
DOI：
10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.02.202
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发表时间：
2018
影响因子：
9.8
通讯作者：
Mann, Janet
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Powell, Sarah N.;Wallen, Megan M.;Bansal, Shweta;Mann, Janet
宽吻海豚是海洋生态系统健康的优秀生物指标，原因有三：(a)作为长寿的顶级捕食者，它们会积累生物毒素和污染物；(b)它们是可见的，经常出现在沿海地区的水面上，经常与人类密切接触；(c)它们表现出一系列可归因于环境退化的致病性病变。在这项研究中，我们分析了在联合国教科文组织世界遗产澳大利亚鲨鱼湾研究了30多年的aduncustursiops种群的纹身样皮肤病变。我们通过记录健康、自由放养的海豚种群中纹身样皮肤病变的流行病学模式，提供了重要的基线数据，该数据建立在先前来自自由放养、搁浅和死亡海豚的纹身皮肤病（TSD）数据的基础上。如果至少有一张照片显示类似于创伤后应激障碍的病变，个别海豚被归类为有纹身样皮肤病的症状。平均感染年龄26.6个月（±34.8个月），症状持续时间137±29.8天。人群中纹身样皮肤病的总体患病率为19.4%。年龄，而非性别，具有重要意义，一岁（1-2岁）的小牛比年轻和年长的小牛表现出更多的纹身样病变。幼海豚和成年海豚中纹身样病变罕见（幼海豚68只，幼海豚4只，成年海豚3只）。我们假设在最小的幼鲸（小于1岁）中较低的患病率是由于母体免疫，而年龄较大的个体（0 - 2岁）具有感染获得性免疫，正如其他小型鲸类所报道的那样。与其他痘病毒人群相比，鲨鱼湾纹身样病变的患病率较低，这与生殖和人口活力分析是一致的。此外，通过记录疾病的人口统计，我们可以监测纹身样病变的流行变化，作为生态系统健康的哨兵指标。
Bottlenose dolphins are excellent bioindicators of ocean ecosystem health for three reasons: (a) as long-lived apex predators they accumulate biotoxins and contaminants; (b) they are visible, routinely appearing at the water's surface in coastal areas, often coming into close contact with humans; and, (c) they exhibit a range of pathogenic lesions attributable to environmental degradation. In this study, we analyzed tattoo-like skin lesions in a population ofTursiops aduncusstudied for 30+ years in Shark Bay, Australia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We provide important baseline data by documenting epidemiological patterns of tattoo-like skin lesions in a healthy, free-ranging population that builds on the previous data of tattoo skin disease (TSD) derived from free ranging, stranded, and dead dolphins. Individual dolphins were classified as symptomatic with tattoo-like skin disease if at least one photograph showed a lesion similar to TSD. The average age of infection was 26.6 months (±34.8 months) with the symptomatic period lasting 137 ± 29.8 days. Overall prevalence of tattoo-like skin disease in the population was 19.4%. Age, but not sex, was significant, with yearlings (1–2 years) exhibiting tattoo-like lesions more than younger and older calves. Tattoo-like lesions were rare among juvenile and adult dolphins (N= 68 calves, 4 juveniles, and 3 adults). We hypothesize that the lower prevalence in youngest calves (<1 year) is due to maternal immunity, while older individuals (>2 years) have infection-acquired immunity, as reported for other small cetaceans. The low prevalence of tattoo-like lesions in Shark Bay compared to other populations with poxvirus is consistent with reproductive and demographic viability analyses. Furthermore, by documenting the demography of the disease, we can monitor changes in the prevalence of tattoo-like lesions as a sentinel indicator of ecosystem health.