Biliary cirrhosis caused by Campula spp. in a dolphin and four porpoises

Abstract

Biliary cirrhosis produced by Campula spp. is described in 1 striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba and 4 harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena. The hepatic lesions consisted of severe proliferation of fibrous connective tissue with loss of the lobular pattern, nodular regeneration of the hepatic tissue, bile duct hyperplasia and severe inflammatory infiltrate composed of eosinophils, macrophages, lymphocytes and plasma cells. These lesions were associated with severe infestation by Campula spp. Although inflammatory and degenerative hepatic lesions are frequently found in stranded dolphins, biliary cirrhosis has not been previously reported in cetaceans. Massive infestation by these parasites should be included as a cause of hepatic failure resulting in stranding of marine mammals.

Beyond Parasitism

“…It has been suggested that these lesions could be associated with residual hepatic inflammation or systemic disease, 9 although 4 of 15 of the animals had no other significant inflammatory disease seen at necropsy. In fulminant trematode infections, there is portal inflammation and fibrosis, 10,12,15 and it is possible that these milder lesions may be associated with cleared or mild trematode infections that were not evident on postmortem examination. All cases of moderate or marked chronic hepatitis were associated with significant chronic inflammatory disease in other organ systems (multiorgan inflammation [Nos.…”

“…9 Recently, a study of the effects of Campula spp parasitism on the hepatobiliary system in cetaceans found severe architectural distortion caused by the trematodes with fibrosis, nodular regeneration, biliary hyperplasia, and inflammation. 10 The goals of this study were to describe the histologic liver lesions in very fresh to fresh (decomposition condition code [DCC] 1 and 2) 14 stranded harbor porpoises and to identify potential causes. Animals with trematode (Campula oblonga) infections were excluded for 3 reasons: the lesions have been described previously in great detail, 1,3,9,10,12,15,23 the parasites markedly distort the architecture with inflammation and cirrhosis that would mask other lesions, 10 and all livers with trematodes would be graded as very marked chronic hepatitis with very marked fibrosis, 7,8 which would potentially skew data analysis.…”

Synopsis on the Most Common Pathologies of Dolphins

“…On microbiological examination they found no clinically significant aerobic-anaerobic or fungal culture results from gastric contents. Jaber et al (2013) have described biliary cirrhosis produced by Campula spp. in 1 striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba and 4 harbor porpoises Phocoena phocoena.…”

Histochemical and Immunohistochemical Characterizations of Hepatic Trematodiasis in Odontocetes

“…It is caused by a combination of inflammation and activation of stellate cells in which it triggers an accumulation of extracellular matrix, and among other complex mechanisms, the role of macrophages including Kuppfer cells are considered important (30,31). In the case of hepatic trematodiasis in cetaceans, severe fibrosis is considered to be due to the physical presence of the parasite within bile ducts and exfoliated eggs around portal tracts (13). There have been several reports on the infiltrating inflammatory cell types (13,32,33), but details of the infiltrating and resident macrophages and the host's immune response have not been investigated.…”

“…In the case of hepatic trematodiasis in cetaceans, severe fibrosis is considered to be due to the physical presence of the parasite within bile ducts and exfoliated eggs around portal tracts (13). There have been several reports on the infiltrating inflammatory cell types (13,32,33), but details of the infiltrating and resident macrophages and the host's immune response have not been investigated.…”