NEUROPATHOLOGIC FINDINGS IN CETACEANS STRANDED IN ITALY (2002–14)

Maria Domenica Pintore; Walter Mignone; Giovanni Di Guardo; Sandro Mazzariol; Marco Ballardini; Caterina Lucia Florio; Maria Goria; Angelo Romano; Santo Caracappa; Federica Giorda; Laura Serracca; Alessandra Pautasso; Cristiana Tittarelli; Antonio Petrella; Giuseppe Lucifora; Fabio Di Nocera; Barbara Degli Uberti; Cristiano Corona; Cristina Casalone; Barbara Iulini

doi:10.7589/2017-02-035

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1 April 2018 NEUROPATHOLOGIC FINDINGS IN CETACEANS STRANDED IN ITALY (2002–14)

Maria Domenica Pintore, Walter Mignone, Giovanni Di Guardo, Sandro Mazzariol, Marco Ballardini, Caterina Lucia Florio, Maria Goria, Angelo Romano, Santo Caracappa, Federica Giorda, Laura Serracca, Alessandra Pautasso, Cristiana Tittarelli, Antonio Petrella, Giuseppe Lucifora, Fabio Di Nocera, Barbara Degli Uberti, Cristiano Corona, Cristina Casalone, Barbara Iulini

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J. of Wildlife Diseases, 54(2):295-303 (2018). https://doi.org/10.7589/2017-02-035

Abstract

We summarized the neuropathologic findings in 60 cetaceans stranded along the Italian coastline from 2002 to 2014. The following neuropathologic changes were detected in 45% (27/60) of animals: nonsuppurative meningo-encephalitides (30%, 18/60), nonspecific lesions (12%, 7/60), suppurative encephalitis (2%, 1/60), and neoplasm (2%, 1/60). No histologic lesions were found in 47% (28/60) of the specimens. Five (8%, 5/60) samples were unsuitable for analysis. Analysis with PCR detected Brucella spp., morbillivirus, and Toxoplasma gondii infection in one, six, and seven individuals, respectively. Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed positivity for morbillivirus and for T. gondii infection in three cases each. No evidence of the scrapie-associated prion protein PrPSc was detected. Our findings underscore the importance of an adequate surveillance system for monitoring aquatic mammal pathologies and for protecting both animal and human health.

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Maria Domenica Pintore, Walter Mignone, Giovanni Di Guardo, Sandro Mazzariol, Marco Ballardini, Caterina Lucia Florio, Maria Goria, Angelo Romano, Santo Caracappa, Federica Giorda, Laura Serracca, Alessandra Pautasso, Cristiana Tittarelli, Antonio Petrella, Giuseppe Lucifora, Fabio Di Nocera, Barbara Degli Uberti, Cristiano Corona, Cristina Casalone, and Barbara Iulini "NEUROPATHOLOGIC FINDINGS IN CETACEANS STRANDED IN ITALY (2002–14)," Journal of Wildlife Diseases 54(2), 295-303, (1 April 2018). https://doi.org/10.7589/2017-02-035

Received: 26 January 2017; Accepted: 1 July 2017; Published: 1 April 2018

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