Fetal distress and in utero pneumonia in perinatal dolphins during the Northern Gulf of Mexico unusual mortality event

Colegrove, KM; Venn‐Watson, Stephanie; Litz, Jenny A.; Kinsel, MJ; Ka, Terio; Fougeres, Erin; Ewing, Ruth Y.; Da, Pabst; Wa, McLellan; Raverty, Stephen; Saliki, Jeremiah T.; Fire, Spencer E.; Rappucci, Gina; Bowen-Stevens, Sabrina R.; Noble, Laura; Costidis, Alexander M.; Barbieri, Moira; C, Field; Smith, Suzanne M.; Carmichael, Ruth H.; Chevis, Connie; Hatchett, Wendy; Shannon, Delphine; Tumlin, Mandy C.; Lovewell, Gretchen N.; McFee, Wayne E.; Rowles, TK

doi:10.3354/dao02969

Cited by 57 publications

(62 citation statements)

References 50 publications

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“…This suggests that factor(s) other than the high-normal leukocyte counts, or in addition to the leukocyte counts, may be responsible for the abnormally high reproductive failures seen in the oiled dolphin stocks. These observations are consistent with a potential synergistic adverse effect of oil exposure on the immune system with pathogen presence (S. De Guise et al 2017), which has been noted as a potential mode of causation for the high morbidity levels ob served in the oiled stocks, especially as it relates to the abnormally high prevalence of lung disease (Venn-Watson et al 2015a) and clusters of perinate mortality (Colegrove et al 2016). However, these observations are also consistent with inflammatory responses associated with injuries like those found in these dolphins' lung tissue and impaired adrenal health leading to poor reproductive outcomes; consequently, additional work is needed to determine the relationship between high WBC counts and reproductive failure in these animals.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 77%

“…detection prevalence in perinates was definitely related to the oil spill, they indicate that there is evidence that oil exposure can lead to increase susceptibility to or persistence of pathogens like Brucella spp. through immune perturbations (Colegrove et al 2016). We therefore conclude that non-petroleum agents are unlikely to be the primary drivers of the high reproductive failure rates observed in the oiled stocks, though multiple Brucella spp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 77%

“…However, it has been noted that there were higher than expected Brucella spp. detections (representing various genetic clades) specifically in perinate dolphin strandings (Colegrove et al 2016) in Mississippi andAlabama (2011 to 2013), whose coastal areas were oiled during the 2010 spill. The prevalence in Louisiana, however, was no different than non-oiled reference areas.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Low reproductive success rates of common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus in the northern Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon disaster (2010-2015)

Kellar¹,

Speakman²,

Smith³

et al. 2017

Endang. Species. Res.

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Following the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill, reproductive success rates in 2 northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM) bottlenose dolphin stocks exposed to oil were evaluated for 4 yr during and after the spill (2010 to 2015) in efforts to assess population-level reproductive health. Pregnancy was determined from either (1) ultrasound examinations of the reproductive tract during capture-release health assessments, or (2) endocrine evaluations of blubber tissue collected from dart biopsies of free-ranging dolphins. Follow-up photo-identification was then used to track the status of pregnant females and any associated neonatal calves for a minimum of 1 yr after the initial pregnancy detection (IPD). For all pregnant females observed following IPD, individuals seen with a calf (reproductive success) and without one (reproductive failure) were recorded. The resulting estimated reproductive success rates for both GoM stocks (19.4%; 7/36) were less than a third of those previously reported in other areas not impacted by the spill (i.e. Sarasota Bay, FL; Indian River Lagoon, FL; and Charleston Harbor, SC) using similar techniques (64.7%; 22/34). We also evaluated the relationships between reproductive success and 13 potential covariates, including stock, ordinal date, progesterone, cortisol, thyroid hormone concentrations, leukocyte count, lung health score, and total body length. Among these, the results only provide strong evidence (Bayes factor > 20) of a relationship between reproductive failure and the total leukocyte count covariate. The high reproductive failure rates measured in both GoM stocks following the DWH oil spill are consistent with mammalian literature that shows a link between petroleum exposure and reproductive abnormalities and failures.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 77%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 77%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Low reproductive success rates of common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus in the northern Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon disaster (2010-2015)

Kellar¹,

Speakman²,

Smith³

et al. 2017

Endang. Species. Res.

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“…Combined, these studies supported the conclusion that exposure to petroleum products from the DWH oil spill led to adrenal and lung disease in dolphins and contributed to the observed increase in dolphin mortalities (Venn-Watson et al 2015). In addition, there were increased numbers of perinatal dolphin strandings during the years following the DHW oil spill (Colegrove et al 2016). Perinatal studies support the hypothesis that most of these late-term pregnancy losses were likely due to poor maternal health following the DHW oil spill, including increased in utero infections, such as brucellosis (Colegrove et al 2016).…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 62%

Changes in immune functions in bottlenose dolphins in the northern Gulf of Mexico associated with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

Guise¹,

Levin²,

Gebhard³

et al. 2017

Endang. Species. Res.

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Following the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill, the Natural Resource Damage Assessment conducted comprehensive health assessments on common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus in Barataria Bay (BB), Louisiana, in 2011Louisiana, in , 2013Louisiana, in and 2014, as well as in Mississippi Sound (MS) in 2013, to assess potential health effects from exposure to oil compared to Sarasota Bay (SB), Florida dolphins not exposed to DWH oil. Immune functions demonstrated a consistent increase in T (BB 2011) and B (BB 2011 and lymphocyte proliferation compared to SB. Cytokine concentrations varied considerably in wild dolphin populations, and no significant differences were found; however, interesting trends were observed. The Th1 cytokines IL-2, IL-12, and IFNγ, and the Th2 cytokines IL-5, IL-10, and IL-13, were 2-to 50-fold lower, and IL-4 was 3-fold higher, in BB 2011 compared to SB. Overall, the changes observed were compatible with those documented in other species following exposure to oil or PAHs and were most pronounced in BB 2011, at the place and time most affected by oil. The changes in T cell functions, and the trend towards a cytokine balance tilted towards a Th2, rather than a Th1 response, are compatible with intra-cellular bacterial infections such as Brucella, which has been identified as one of the potential contributory factors to perinatal dolphin mortalities, and changes in B cell functions are compatible with an increase in extra-cellular bacterial infections and primary bacterial pneumonia.

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“…A necropsy followed, and tissues were collected and fixed in formalin, embedded in paraffin wax, sectioned and stained with haematoxylin and eosin for histopathologic studies. (Colegrove et al, 2016;Dagleish et al, 2008;Foster et al, 2002;Jauniaux et al, 2010;Muñoz et al, 2006;PrengerBerninghoff et al, 2008). In the present case, we observed several (CeMV) molecular investigation by reverse transcription-PCR using primers targeting the phosphoprotein (P) gene (Barrett et al, 1993).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Brucellosis in a Clymene dolphin (Stenella clymene ) stranded in Brazil

Sánchez-Sarmiento

Carvalho

Sacristán

et al. 2017

Transbound Emerg Dis

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Fetal distress and in utero pneumonia in perinatal dolphins during the Northern Gulf of Mexico unusual mortality event

Cited by 57 publications

References 50 publications

Low reproductive success rates of common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus in the northern Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon disaster (2010-2015)

Low reproductive success rates of common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus in the northern Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon disaster (2010-2015)

Changes in immune functions in bottlenose dolphins in the northern Gulf of Mexico associated with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

Brucellosis in a Clymene dolphin (Stenella clymene ) stranded in Brazil

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