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Frontiers in Marine Mammal Health and Immunity
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Frontiers in Marine Mammal Health and Immunity

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Aquatic Animals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 December 2022) | Viewed by 12168

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Annalaura Mancia

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Interests: immunology; pathophysiology and ecology of marine mammals; marine mammals conservation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Climate change is affecting the marine environment worldwide, and the consequences are likely to impact organisms’ health and survival. Moreover, the synergistic effects of human activities and marine pollution are unavoidably going to increase the incidence of immunologic dysfunction and emerging diseases.

Living their entire lives—or most of them—in the sea, marine mammals have the potential to act as integrators of the stressors present in the marine environment, thus being an ideal model for the assessment of immunological responses to environmental changes.

Many marine mammal species are already considered endangered and/or facing major problems, showing compromised body conditions, declines in abundance and distribution shifts; furthermore, the expansions of their ranges are likely going to cause competitive pressure and greater risk of predation and disease on some endemic species. Some populations are coping with environmental changes at different rates, while others are establishing the evolutionary adaptations that are most needed to endure them and successfully adapt.

New technologies and the latest findings focused on improved understanding of immunology, health, and overall wellbeing are all considered areas of interest for preserving and maintaining marine mammal populations.

The aim of the present Special Issue is to gather in one publication the most recent research on marine mammal health and conservation. We warmly welcome the contribution of research papers and literature reviews.

Dr. Annalaura Mancia
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • marine mammals
  • endangered species
  • climate change
  • anthropogenic contaminants
  • disease
  • adaptation

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 3323 KiB  
Article
Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) Mortality along the Italian Coast between 1624 and 2021
by Valerio Manfrini, Nino Pierantonio, Alessandro Giuliani, Federico De Pascalis, Nicola Maio and Annalaura Mancia
Animals 2022, 12(22), 3111; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12223111 - 10 Nov 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2281
Abstract
The Mediterranean Sea hosts a population of fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), the only species of Mysticete regularly occurring in the basin. Observed and inferred mortality suggests that the population is likely declining. Accordingly, understanding the causes of mortality and assessing the [...] Read more.
The Mediterranean Sea hosts a population of fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), the only species of Mysticete regularly occurring in the basin. Observed and inferred mortality suggests that the population is likely declining. Accordingly, understanding the causes of mortality and assessing the health status is pivotal to the survival of this endangered population. While such studies are inherently difficult for a highly roaming species with a pelagic distribution, mortality events provide the opportunity to investigate biological and epidemiological traits linked to these events, and evaluate the footprint of human activity, especially when long-term data series exist. We present a comprehensive spatial–temporal overview of fin whale mortality events along the Italian coast encompassing four centuries (1624–2021). Time series analysis was used to highlight structural changes in the evolution of mortality through time, while spatial–temporal patterns in the distribution of mortality events were assessed through emerging hot spot analysis methods. Recent mortality events (1964–2021) were further explored to evaluate, where possible, the primary causes of mortality and to identify anthropogenic threats of conservation concerns. This long-term survey offers the basis for an understanding of the health status of this B. physalus population and provides much-needed information for developing an effective management and conservation plan for the species in the region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Marine Mammal Health and Immunity)
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20 pages, 21996 KiB  
Article
The Odontocete Ear Canal-Associated Lymphoid Tissue (ECALT) and Lymph Nodes: Morphological and Pathological Description with Immuno-Phenotypic Characterisation
by Steffen De Vreese, Cinzia Centelleghe, Jean-Marie Graïc, Giorgia Corrazola, Lonneke L. IJsseldijk, Michel André and Sandro Mazzariol
Animals 2022, 12(17), 2235; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12172235 - 30 Aug 2022
Viewed by 1977
Abstract
A changing marine environment with emerging natural and anthropogenic stressors challenges the marine mammal immune system. The skin and adnexa form a first protective barrier in the immune response, although this is still relatively understudied in cetaceans. The cellular and tissue morphology of [...] Read more.
A changing marine environment with emerging natural and anthropogenic stressors challenges the marine mammal immune system. The skin and adnexa form a first protective barrier in the immune response, although this is still relatively understudied in cetaceans. The cellular and tissue morphology of the nodular and diffuse lymphoid tissue are not fully charted and the physiological responses are not yet completely understood. The odontocete’s external ear canal has a complex relationship with the external environment, with an artificial lumen rendering the inside of the canal a relatively secluded environment. In this work, we studied the odontocete ear canal-associated lymphoid tissue (ECALT) by histo- and immunohistochemistry (HC, IHC) with anti-CD3, anti-CD20, anti-Iba-1, anti-HLA-DR, and anti-vimentin antibodies. The ECALT cellular composition consists mainly of B-lymphocytes with the occasional presence of T-lymphocytes and the dispersed distribution of the macrophages. In cases of activation, the cellular reaction showed a similar pattern with the occasional presence of T-cells, plasma cells, and neutrophils. Nodular lymphoid tissue was generally in line with the description in other odontocetes, although with abundant erythrocytes throughout the entire organ. This study contributes to the understanding of the cellular composition of diffuse and nodular lymphoid tissue in several species of odontocetes, and in association with inflammation of the external ear canal. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Marine Mammal Health and Immunity)
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12 pages, 2185 KiB  
Article
Cellular Prion Protein Expression in the Brain Tissue from Brucella ceti-Infected Striped Dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba)
by Clotilde Beatrice Angelucci, Roberto Giacominelli-Stuffler, Marina Baffoni, Cristina Esmeralda Di Francesco, Gabriella Di Francesco, Ludovica Di Renzo, Manuela Tittarelli, Antonio Petrella, Carla Grattarola, Sandro Mazzariol, Eva Sierra, Antonio Fernández and Giovanni Di Guardo
Animals 2022, 12(10), 1304; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12101304 - 19 May 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2057
Abstract
Brucella ceti, a zoonotic pathogen of major concern to cetacean health and conservation, is responsible for severe meningo-encephalitic/myelitic lesions in striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba), often leading to their stranding and death. This study investigated, for the first time, the cellular [...] Read more.
Brucella ceti, a zoonotic pathogen of major concern to cetacean health and conservation, is responsible for severe meningo-encephalitic/myelitic lesions in striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba), often leading to their stranding and death. This study investigated, for the first time, the cellular prion protein (PrPc) expression in the brain tissue from B. ceti-infected, neurobrucellosis-affected striped dolphins. Seven B. ceti-infected, neurobrucellosis-affected striped dolphins, found stranded along the Italian coastline (6) and in the Canary Islands (1), were investigated, along with five B. ceti-uninfected striped dolphins from the coast of Italy, carrying no brain lesions, which served as negative controls. Western Blot (WB) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) with an anti-PrP murine monoclonal antibody were carried out on the brain parenchyma of these dolphins. While PrPc IHC yielded inconclusive results, a clear-cut PrPc expression of different intensity was found by means of WB analyses in the brain tissue of all the seven herein investigated, B. ceti-infected and neurobrucellosis-affected cetacean specimens, with two dolphins stranded along the Italian coastline and one dolphin beached in Canary Islands also exhibiting a statistically significant increase in cerebral PrPc expression as compared to the five Brucella spp.-negative control specimens. The significantly increased PrPc expression found in three out of seven B. ceti-infected, neurobrucellosis-affected striped dolphins does not allow us to draw any firm conclusion(s) about the putative role of PrPc as a host cell receptor for B. ceti. Should this be the case, an upregulation of PrPc mRNA in the brain tissue of neurobrucellosis-affected striped dolphins could be hypothesized during the different stages of B. ceti infection, as previously shown in murine bone marrow cells challenged with Escherichia coli. Noteworthy, the inflammatory infiltrates seen in the brain and in the cervico-thoracic spinal cord segments from the herein investigated, B. ceti-infected and neurobrucellosis-affected striped dolphins were densely populated by macrophage/histiocyte cells, often harboring Brucella spp. antigen in their cytoplasm, similarly to what was reported in macrophages from mice experimentally challenged with B. abortus. Notwithstanding the above, much more work is needed in order to properly assess the role of PrPc, if any, as a host cell receptor for B. ceti in striped dolphins. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Marine Mammal Health and Immunity)
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15 pages, 837 KiB  
Article
A Correlational Analysis of Phthalate Exposure and Thyroid Hormone Levels in Common Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from Sarasota Bay, Florida (2010–2019)
by Miranda K. Dziobak, Randall S. Wells, Emily C. Pisarski, Ed F. Wirth and Leslie B. Hart
Animals 2022, 12(7), 824; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12070824 - 24 Mar 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2282
Abstract
Phthalates are chemical esters used to enhance desirable properties of plastics, personal care, and cleaning products. Phthalates have shown ubiquitous environmental contamination due to their abundant use and propensity to leach from products to which they are added. Following exposure, phthalates are rapidly [...] Read more.
Phthalates are chemical esters used to enhance desirable properties of plastics, personal care, and cleaning products. Phthalates have shown ubiquitous environmental contamination due to their abundant use and propensity to leach from products to which they are added. Following exposure, phthalates are rapidly metabolized and excreted through urine. Common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) sampled from Sarasota Bay, Florida, have demonstrated prevalent di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) exposure indicated by detectable urinary mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) concentrations. Widespread exposure is concerning due to evidence of endocrine disruption from human and laboratory studies. To better understand how phthalate exposure may impact dolphin health, correlations between relevant hormone levels and detectable urinary MEHP concentrations were examined. Hormone concentrations measured via blood serum samples included triiodothyronine (T3), total thyroxine (T4), and free thyroxine (FT4). Urinary MEHP concentrations were detected in 56% of sampled individuals (n = 50; mean = 8.13 ng/mL; s.d. = 15.99 ng/mL). Adult female and male FT4 was significantly correlated with urinary MEHP concentrations (adult female Kendall’s tau = 0.36, p = 0.04; adult male Kendall’s tau = 0.42, p = 0.02). Evidence from this study suggests DEHP exposure may be impacting thyroid hormone homeostasis. Cumulative effects of other stressors and resultant endocrine impacts are unknown. Further research is warranted to understand potential health implications associated with this relationship. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Marine Mammal Health and Immunity)
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Review

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14 pages, 2195 KiB  
Review
Tattoo Skin Disease in Cetacea: A Review, with New Cases for the Northeast Pacific
by Marie-Françoise Van Bressem, Koen Van Waerebeek and Pádraig J. Duignan
Animals 2022, 12(24), 3581; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12243581 - 18 Dec 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2285
Abstract
Tattoo skin disease (TSD) is a poxviral dermatopathy diagnosed in cetaceans. We review the literature on TSD aetiology, clinical characteristics, pathology and epidemiology and evaluate immune responses against the virus. In addition, necropsy reports for fifty-five harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), twenty-two [...] Read more.
Tattoo skin disease (TSD) is a poxviral dermatopathy diagnosed in cetaceans. We review the literature on TSD aetiology, clinical characteristics, pathology and epidemiology and evaluate immune responses against the virus. In addition, necropsy reports for fifty-five harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), twenty-two Delphinidae and four Kogiidae stranded in northern California in 2018–2021 were checked for diagnostic tattoo lesions. TSD occurs in the Mediterranean, North and Barents Seas, as well as in the Atlantic, eastern Pacific and Indian Oceans in at least 21 cetacean species, with varying prevalence. Two cetacean poxvirus (CePV) clades are recognised: CePV-1 in odontocetes and CePV-2 in mysticetes. CePV-1 isolates were recovered from six Delphinidae and one Phocoenidae in the Americas, Europe and Hong Kong. Strains from Delphinidae are closely related. Among Phocoenidae, poxviruses were sampled only in harbour porpoises around the British Isles. CePV-2 isolates were obtained from southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) and a bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus). In healthy animals, an immune response develops over time, with young calves protected by maternal immunity. Salinity and sea surface temperature do not seem to influence TSD prevalence in free-ranging cetaceans. High concentrations of immunotoxic halogenated organochlorines may cause a more severe clinical disease. Substitution and loss of genes involved in anti-viral immunity may favour CePV entry, replication and persistence in the epidermis. Off California, Delphinidae were less often (26.3%) affected by TSD than harbour porpoises (43.6%). Male porpoises were significantly more prone (58.1%) to show clinical disease than females (25%). Among males, TSD affected a high proportion of juveniles and subadults. TSD was not detected in the Kogiidae. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Marine Mammal Health and Immunity)
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