Infection with Pythium flevoense in a harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) as a novel cause of dermatitis in marine mammals

The oomycete Pythium flevoense was diagnosed as the cause of dermatitis in a young adult female harbour porpoise ( Phocoena phocoena ) that had been trapped in a pound net in a temperate saltwater environment. Disease from Pythium sp. infection—pythiosis—is infrequently diagnosed in humans, horses,...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Veterinary research (Paris) 2023-11, Vol.54 (1), p.1-102, Article 102
Main Authors: Veldhuis Kroeze, Edwin J. B, van Elk, Cornelis E, van de Bildt, Marco W. G, van Run, Peter R. W. A, Foster, Geoffrey, Abou-Chakra, Nissrine, Hare, Rasmus Krager, Kuiken, Thijs
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Anemia
Autopsies
Bacteriology
cetacean
Crop diseases
Dermatitis
Euthanasia
Fresh water
Harbors
harbour porpoise
Health aspects
Histology
Horses
Infection
Infections
Inflammation
marine mammal
Marine mammals
Microscopy
Novel pathogen
oomycete
Porpoises
Posaconazole
Pythium flevoense
Skin
Stains & staining
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The oomycete Pythium flevoense was diagnosed as the cause of dermatitis in a young adult female harbour porpoise ( Phocoena phocoena ) that had been trapped in a pound net in a temperate saltwater environment. Disease from Pythium sp. infection—pythiosis—is infrequently diagnosed in humans, horses, dogs, cattle, and few other mammalian species. Pythiosis is typically associated with exposure to tropical or subtropical freshwater conditions, and typically caused by Pythium insidiosum . However, until now, pythiosis has been reported in neither marine mammals nor temperate saltwater conditions, and P. flevoense is not known as a cause of pythiosis in mammals. This porpoise developed generalised dermatitis despite treatment and euthanasia was necessary. Histopathological evaluation revealed a chronic active erosive dermatitis, with intralesional hyphae morphologically consistent with a Pythium sp. PCR analysis and sequencing of affected skin matched Pythium flevoense with a 100% similarity to the reference strain. Additional diagnostics excluded other pathogens. Based on this case report, P. flevoense needs to be considered as a mammalian pathogen. Furthermore, harbour porpoises and possibly other marine mammals may be at risk of infection with P. flevoense , and pythiosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of dermatitis in marine mammals.
ISSN:1297-9716
0928-4249
1297-9716
DOI:10.1186/s13567-023-01226-1