Health risks for marine mammal workers

Abstract

Marine mammals can be infected with zoonotic pathogens and show clinical signs of disease, or be asymptomatic carriers of such disease agents. While isolated cases of human disease from contact with marine mammals have been reported, no evaluation of the risks associated with marine mammal work has been attempted. Therefore, we designed a survey to estimate the risk of work-related injuries and illnesses in marine mammal workers and volunteers. The 17-question survey asked respondents to describe their contact with marine mammals, injuries sustained, and/or illnesses acquired during their period of marine mammal exposure. Most respondents, 88% (423/483), were researchers and rehabilitators. Of all respondents, 50% (243/483) reported suffering an injury caused by a marine mammal, and 23% (110/483) reported having a skin rash or reaction. Marine mammal work-related illnesses commonly reported included: 'seal finger' (Mycoplasma spp. or Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae), conjunctivitis, viral dermatitis, bacterial dermatitis, and non-specific contact dermatitis. Although specific diagnoses could not be confirmed by a physician through this study, severe illnesses were reported and included tuberculosis, leptospirosis, brucellosis, and serious sequelae to seal finger. Risk factors associated with increased odds of injury and illness included prolonged and frequent exposure to marine mammals; direct contact with live marine mammals; and contact with tissue, blood, and excretions. Diagnosis of zoonotic disease was often aided by veterinarians; therefore, workers at risk should be encouraged to consult with a marine mammal veterinarian as well as a physician, especially if obtaining a definitive diagnosis for an illness becomes problematic.

Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Bacterial Isolates From Sea Otters (Enhydra Lutris)

“…As bacterial resistance is variable, prolonged clinical treatment should be guided by culture and sensitivity testing. Based on prior reports (Smith et al, 1978;Baker et al, 1998;Brew et al, 1999), several bacteria that infect marine mammals can cause necrotizing dermatitis, systemic disease, and death in humans (Hunt et al, 2008) and the information provided should be considered by physicians.…”

Population pharmacokinetics of doxycycline in the tears and plasma of northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) following oral drug administration

“…4 Furthermore, doxycycline is frequently administered to pinnipeds and has a broad spectrum of activity against Chlamydia spp, Mycoplasma spp, Rickettsia spp, aerobic and anaerobic Gram-positive and -negative bacteria, Brucella spp, Bartonella spp, and Leptospira spp, among others. 5,6 Pinnipeds are commonly infected with many of those important and often zoonotic pathogens, particularly those in the genera Leptospira, Brucella, and Bartonella, [7][8][9][10][11] making doxycycline a justifiable antimicrobial choice in many instances. We hypothesized that doxycycline concentrations achieved in the tears and plasma of seals receiving 20 mg of doxycycline/kg (9.1 mg of doxycycline/lb) every 24 hours for 4 days would meet or exceed those necessary to have clinically relevant antimicrobial effects systemically and within the tear film as well as anti-inflammatory and antiprotease activity at the corneal surface.…”

Health hazard evaluation report: evaluation of zoonotic disease and exposures in persons working with marine mammals.

“…Little is known about the virulence of marine mammal C. burnetii strains in humans. However, case reports have associated human infections with a variety of other bacterial, viral, and parasitic zoonotic agents in people with occupational exposure to marine mammals in field and laboratory settings [Hunt et al 2008].…”