Striped dolphins as trace element biomonitoring tools in oceanic waters: Accounting for health-related variables

Monteiro, Sílvia S.; Bozzetti, Márcia; Torres, Jordi; Tavares, Ana Sofia; Ferreira, Marisa; Pereira, Andreia; Sá, Sara; Araújo, Hélder; Bastos-Santos, Jorge; Oliveira, Isabel; Vingada, José; Eira, Catarina

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134410

Cited by 7 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 72 publications

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“…Essential elements (e.g., zinc, copper, selenium) occur naturally in the environment and many have important biological functions, but excesses or deficiencies can have adverse health effects. Non-essential elements such as lead, cadmium and mercury can be toxic, depending on concentration and form, with evidence suggesting a possible link between long-term exposure to heavy metals such as mercury and infectious disease in harbor porpoises (Bennett et al, 2001;Wintle et al, 2011), immuno-and genotoxic effects in cetaceans (Kershaw and Hall, 2019), and more numerous lesions in dolphins with elevated cadmium and selenium levels (Monteiro et al, 2020). Underlying viral infections were also investigated considering herpesvirus was detected in harbor seals with mucormycosis and could be associated with the presence of the disease as well as a killer whale (Orcinus orca) under human care (Abdo et al, 2012b;Huggins et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Risk factor determination and qualitative risk assessment of Mucormycosis in Harbor Porpoise, an emergent fungal disease in Salish Sea marine mammals

Norman¹,

Huggins

Lambourn

et al. 2022

Front. Mar. Sci.

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Mucorales infections are increasing in frequency and are a One Health pathogen of concern. In humans and domestic animals, risk factors include being immunocompromised, elevated circulating serum iron, contaminated open wounds, or metabolic diseases such as ketoacidosis or uncontrolled diabetes. Mucormycosis was first identified in 2012 in Pacific Northwest marine mammals, predominantly in harbor porpoises. We performed an assessment to determine the overall qualitative risk, or risk score, of mucormycosis in harbor porpoises. Risk factors for this disease are unknown in aquatic mammals. In a separate risk factor analysis, potential risk factors such as pollutants, trace metals (e.g., iron), and co-infection with other pathogens (e.g., viruses and Brucella spp.) were examined in mucormycosis cases and noncases using a matched case-control study design, to determine the presence and strength of association of these factors with mucormycosis. Disease severity (gross and histopathology) and exposure scores were multiplied together to obtain the overall risk scores of 9 -16 which corresponded to moderate and severe, respectively. In the risk factor analysis, the factors most strongly associated with a mucormycosis case, relative to a control, were elevated liver iron, decreased blubber thickness, and the decreased ratio of the sum of PCB congeners/sum of PBDE congeners. The results of this study suggest that mucormycosis may pose an inordinately high risk to harbor porpoises (and potentially sympatric species in the Salish Sea such as southern resident killer whales) based on the detected prevalence and the severity of lesions observed at necropsy. However, the risk may be greater on an individual basis compared to the overall population, and is likely related to other factors such as increased POP and heavy metal burdens.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Risk factor determination and qualitative risk assessment of Mucormycosis in Harbor Porpoise, an emergent fungal disease in Salish Sea marine mammals

Norman¹,

Huggins

Lambourn

et al. 2022

Front. Mar. Sci.

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“…Marine mammals, including odontocetes, are long‐lived, high trophic level organisms, and as such, can accumulate high concentrations of trace elements (e.g., cadmium [Cd] and mercury [Hg]) in their tissues (Das et al 2003; Monteiro et al 2020). In addition, marine mammals are often long‐term residents of coastal environments and consume fish that are similar to those eaten by human populations, making them ideal sentinel species for ecosystem and public health (Bossart 2011; Reif et al 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Formalin Fixation on Trace Element Concentrations in Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Tissues

McCormack

Jackson

Dutton

2020

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Odontocetes are considered ideal sentinel species to monitor environmental trace element concentrations. Although frozen tissues are preferable for trace element analysis, formalin‐fixed tissues are often the only samples available; however, it is uncertain whether formalin fixation alters tissue trace element concentrations. To explore whether formalin‐fixed tissues could be utilized for toxicology studies, concentrations of 14 trace elements (arsenic [As], cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, mercury, manganese, nickel, lead, selenium, tin, vanadium, and zinc [Zn]) were measured in frozen and formalin‐fixed bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) tissues following short‐term (6 wk; tissues: blubber, liver, and lung) and long‐term preservation (3–7 yr; tissues: blubber, brain, kidney, liver, lung, and skin) using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Following both short‐term and long‐term preservation, there were significant differences in tissue trace element concentrations between preservation methods. Some trace elements were found in greater concentrations in frozen tissues compared with formalin‐fixed tissues, suggesting leaching (e.g., mean As concentrations were between 1.4 and 7.6 times greater in frozen tissues). In contrast, other trace elements were found in greater concentrations in formalin‐fixed tissues compared with frozen tissues, suggesting contamination (e.g., mean Zn concentrations were up to 8.7 times higher in some formalin‐fixed tissues). Our results suggest that it may be possible to account for the effects of formalin fixation for some trace elements, but leaching and contamination should be carefully considered. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:1149–1164. © 2020 SETAC

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Tissue distribution and health risk of trace elements in East Asian finless porpoises

Tian

Gan

Sanganyado

et al. 2021

Environmental Pollution

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Striped dolphins as trace element biomonitoring tools in oceanic waters: Accounting for health-related variables

Cited by 7 publications

References 72 publications

Risk factor determination and qualitative risk assessment of Mucormycosis in Harbor Porpoise, an emergent fungal disease in Salish Sea marine mammals

Risk factor determination and qualitative risk assessment of Mucormycosis in Harbor Porpoise, an emergent fungal disease in Salish Sea marine mammals

Effects of Formalin Fixation on Trace Element Concentrations in Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Tissues

Tissue distribution and health risk of trace elements in East Asian finless porpoises

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