| Eosinophilia and biotoxin exposure in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from a coastal area impacted by repeated mortality events. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 20537621 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) inhabiting coastal waters in the northern Gulf of Mexico have been impacted by recurrent unusual mortality events over the past few decades. Several of these mortality events along the Florida panhandle have been tentatively attributed to poisoning from brevetoxin produced by the dinoflagellate Karenia brevis. While dolphins in other regions of the Florida coast are often exposed to K. brevis blooms, large-scale dolphin mortality events are relatively rare and the frequency and magnitude of die-offs along the Panhandle raise concern for the apparent vulnerability of dolphins in this region. We report results from dolphin health assessments conducted near St. Joseph Bay, Florida, an area impacted by 3 unusual die-offs within a 7-year time span. An eosinophilia syndrome, manifested as an elevated blood eosinophil count without obvious cause, was observed in 23% of sampled dolphins. Elevated eosinophil counts were associated with decreased T-lymphocyte proliferation and increased neutrophil phagocytosis. In addition, indication of chronic low-level exposure to another algal toxin, domoic acid produced by the diatom Pseudo-nitzschia spp., was determined. Previous studies of other marine mammal populations exposed recurrently to Pseudo-nitzschia blooms have suggested a possible link between the eosinophilia and domoic acid exposure. While the chronic eosinophilia syndrome could over the long-term produce organ damage and alter immunological status and thereby increase vulnerability to other challenges, the significance of the high prevalence of the syndrome to the observed mortality events in the St. Joseph Bay area is unclear. Nonetheless, the unusual immunological findings and concurrent evidence of domoic acid exposure in this sentinel marine species suggest a need for further investigation to elucidate potential links between chronic, low-level exposure to algal toxins and immune health. |
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Authors:
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Lori H Schwacke; Michael J Twiner; Sylvain De Guise; Brian C Balmer; Randall S Wells; Forrest I Townsend; David C Rotstein; Rene A Varela; Larry J Hansen; Eric S Zolman; Trevor R Spradlin; Milton Levin; Heather Leibrecht; Zhihong Wang; Teresa K Rowles |
Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. Date: 2010-05-26 |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Environmental research Volume: 110 ISSN: 1096-0953 ISO Abbreviation: Environ. Res. Publication Date: 2010 Aug |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2010-07-20 Completed Date: 2010-09-09 Revised Date: 2011-12-14 |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 0147621 Medline TA: Environ Res Country: United States |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 548-55 Citation Subset: IM |
Copyright Information:
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Published by Elsevier Inc. |
Affiliation:
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, Center for Human Health Risks, 331 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29412, USA. Lori.Schwacke@noaa.gov |
Export Citation:
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APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex |
| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Animals Bottle-Nosed Dolphin / metabolism* Dinoflagellida / growth & development Environmental Exposure / analysis Environmental Monitoring Eosinophilia / epidemiology, mortality, veterinary* Female Harmful Algal Bloom Kainic Acid / analogs & derivatives*, analysis, metabolism, toxicity Seawater / chemistry Water Pollutants / analysis, metabolism, toxicity* |
| Chemical | |
Reg. No./Substance:
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0/Water Pollutants; 14277-97-5/domoic acid; 487-79-6/Kainic Acid |
| Comments/Corrections | |
Comment In:
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Environ Res. 2011 Nov;111(8):1328-9
[PMID:
21570682
]
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From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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