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Southern sea otter killed by rare parasite strain: study

Southern sea otter killed by rare parasite strain: study

 


An unusually virulent form of toxoplasmosis is killing southern sea otters and could ultimately pose a public health threat to other marine animals and humans, new research reveals. rice field.

The deadly disease, so far identified in four sea otters, comes from a rare strain of the microscopic parasite Toxoplasma gondii. According to research It was published in Frontiers in Marine Science on Wednesday.

Toxoplasmosis is common in sea otters and can be fatal, but the authors emphasize that this form is particularly vicious and can quickly kill healthy adult sea otters.

This strain of Toxoplasma has never been detected on the California coast, so researchers assume it arrived recently.

As such, they expressed concern about possible contamination of the environment and the marine food chain, and warned that such a situation could pose a public health risk. infection has not been reported.

“The emergence of this deadly form of Toxoplasma off the California coast is of major concern for two main reasons,” said study co-author Devinn Sinnott of the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine: says so. said in a statement.

These concerns include “potential population health impacts on endangered species” and the parasite’s ability to “affect the health of other animals susceptible to Toxoplasma infection,” it said. Sinnott explained.

All four sea otters examined in the stalled study between 2020 and 2022 exhibited a condition called “fatty inflammation,” or severe inflammation of body fat.

Sea otters live close to shorelines and can be exposed to parasite eggs through storm runoff and by eating marine invertebrates that can concentrate the parasite, making them vulnerable to Toxoplasma infection. are vulnerable, the authors explained.

However, the appearance of severe steatosis is a “very rare finding” in sea otters with toxoplasmosis, the scientists said.

DNA testing identified a rare strain of Toxoplasma gondii called COUG in all four stranded otters, according to the study.

“This was a complete surprise,” said Karen Shapiro, senior author at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, in a statement.

“COUG genotypes have never been described in sea otters, in California coastal environments, or in other aquatic mammals or birds,” added Shapiro.

All four sea otters were stranded during periods of high coastal rainfall and may have been exposed to Toxoplasma eggs during the storm, according to the investigation. Three of the four sea otters were adult females within about 26 miles of each other in San Luis Obispo County and one was a stranded immature male in Santa Cruz County.

Melissa Miller, corresponding author for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, who has been studying Toxoplasma infections in sea otters for 25 years, said, “I’ve never seen lions and parasite counts this severe.” said in a statement.

She warned that because Toxoplasma can infect any warm-blooded animal, it can cause disease in animals and humans that share the same environment and food resources. , clams, oysters, and raw or undercooked crab.

“Because this parasite can infect humans and other animals, we want others to be aware of our findings, recognize cases immediately if they do come across them, and take steps to prevent transmission. I want them to take precautions,” Miller said.

“If you see inflamed generalized fat deposits in a sea otter or any other marine animal, we recommend that you take extra precautions,” she added.

Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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2/ https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/3912014-california-sea-otters-killed-by-rare-parasite-strain-study/

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