Occurrence of anthropozoonotic parasitic infections and faecal microbes in free-ranging sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) from the Mediterranean Sea

Abstract

Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) are the largest toothed whales and only living member of family Physeteridae. Present survey represents first report on cultivable faecal microbes and gastrointestinal helminths and protozoans infecting free-ranging sperm whales inhabiting Mediterranean Sea waters surrounding Balearic Archipelago, Spain. Twenty-five individual sperm whale scat samples, including one calf, were collected without disturbance of animals during the summer of 2016. Parasitological diagnostic methods, such as sodium acetate acetic formalin (SAF) method, carbol fuchsin-stained faecal smears, Giardia/Cryptosporidium coproantigen ELISAs and an Anisakis-specific PCR were applied for further identification. Five bacterial genera, i.e. Acinetobacter, Clostridium, Enterococcus, Staphylococcus and Streptococcus, and one fungus namely Cladosporium were identified. Parasitological infections included seven different parasite species with some of them bearing anthropozoonotic potential. Thus, four of these parasites were zoonotic, i.e. Anisakis, Balantidium, Diphyllobothriidae gen. sp. and Giardia. Additionally, Zalophotrema curilensis eggs, spirurid-like eggs and Cystoisospora-like oocysts were identified. Molecular characterization identified Anisakis physeteris as the species infecting these whales. This survey provides first records on occurrence of two zoonotic enteropathogenic protozoan parasites (Giardia and Balantidium) and of facultative pathogenic bacteria (Clostridium and Enterococcus) in sperm whales. Presented data should be considered as a baseline study for future monitoring surveys on anthropozoonotic pathogens affecting free-living sperm whale populations and enhance investigations on possible impact on public health as well as on isolated Mediterranean sperm whale subpopulation.

Gastrointestinal Parasites and Bacteria in Free-Living South American Sea Lions (Otaria flavescens) in Chilean Comau Fjord and New Host Record of a Diphyllobothrium scoticum-Like Cestode

“…Whenever sea lion defecation occurred, scat samples were immediately collected in 15 ml plastic tubes (Falcon). Thereafter, a fecal swap was taken and transferred into special tubes containing Amies transport medium with charcoal (Nerbe, Winsen, Germany) for bacterial cultivation (Hermosilla et al, 2018) and rest of scat material was fixed in 70% ethanol for further parasitological diagnosis. All swap-as well as fecalsamples were stored at 4 • C until further diagnosis within the vessel of Huinay Scientific Field Station (Chile) responsible for sea lion scat collection and thereafter transferred to Germany.…”

Antarctophthirus microchir infestation in synanthropic South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens) males diagnosed by a novel non-invasive method

“…Consequently, the sampling process delivers a smaller amount of biological material and is more time consuming than examination of fixed animals (Leonardi 2014 ) or during necropsies. However, in today’s world, where anthropogenic pressure influences and determines wildlife as intensive as never before, non-invasive or minimally invasive methods should constitute indispensable tools in research of marine mammals (Gales et al 2009 ), and it is in our responsibility to develop creative, protecting methods for obtaining a broad range of biological material (Kleinertz et al 2014 ; Hermosilla et al 2015 , 2016a , b , 2018a , b ).…”

Parasite fauna of wild Antillean manatees (Trichechus manatus manatus) of the Andean Region, Colombia

“…oocyst-positive faecal samples were deposited on circular, poly- L -lysine (Merck, Darmstadt, Germany) pre-coated glass coverslips (10 mm diameter; Nunc). Thereafter, samples were fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde (Merck), post-fixed in 1% osmium tetroxide (Merck), washed in distilled water, dehydrated, dried by CO 2 treatment and afterwards sputtered with gold particles as described for faecal probes of other marine mammals [64]. SEM samples were analysed using an XL30® scanning electron microscope (Philips, Hillsboro, USA) at the Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany.…”