MRI, CT Imaging and Morbillivirus Culture, Sequencing, and Electron Microscopy in a Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) with CNS and Pulmonary Aspergillus fumigatus
IAAAM 2013
Stephen E. Cassle1*+; Tom Waltzek2*; Daniel J. VanderHart3; Lisa L. Farina2; Angelique Leone2; John Lednicky4; Dalen W. Agnew5; James G. Coisman6; Nicole I. Stacy1; Hada Herring7; Patrick Thompson1; Blair Mase8; Michael T. Walsh1
1University of Florida, Aquatic Animal Health Program, Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Aquatic Animal Health Program, Gainesville, Florida, 32610, USA; 2University of Florida, Infectious Diseases and Pathology, Gainesville, Florida, 32610, USA; 3University of Florida, Diagnostic Imaging, Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Gainesville, Florida, 32610, USA; 4University of Florida, College of Public Health and Health Professions, Environmental and Global Health, Gainesville, Florida, 32610, USA; 5Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health, Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, Lansing, MI 48910 USA; 6University of Florida, Surgery, Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Gainesville, Florida, 32610, USA; 7Clearwater Marine Aquarium, 249 Windward Passage, Clearwater Florida, 33767, USA; 8National Marine Fisheries Service, Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Network, Southeast Region, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
Abstract
On May 19th, 2012, a juvenile male Tursiops truncatus was found floating off Sand Key Park (N27.960822°, W82.832665°) in Clearwater, Florida in the Gulf of Mexico. The animal, recovered by Clearwater Marine Aquarium staff, was in very fresh condition. The animal was immediately iced down and placed in sternal position for transport to the University of Florida. Upon presentation the dolphin was intubated and the lungs inflated for MRI and CT scanning. Post scanning, the animal was examined with laparoscopy as part of a project to determine best practice approach with this technique. Imaging revealed a diffuse pneumonia and extensive cerebral and cerebellar lesions. Gross pathology confirmed the pneumonia and drainage of purulent material from the left cerebrum. Cytological evaluation of brain tissue imprints revealed suppurative inflammation with local fungal sepsis. Fungal cultures, confirmed by cytology and PCR sequencing, of the lung and brain yielded Aspergillus fumigatus. PCR testing of aqueous humor fluid for morbillivirus was negative but histopathology revealed syncytial cells and intracytoplasmic and intranuclear inclusions in the lung tissue. PCR and sequencing confirmed the morbillivirus suspicion. The quality of the frozen lung tissue resulted in a successful attempt to isolate the organism on Vero (African green monkey), MDCK (Madin-Darby canine kidney), and Mv1-Lu (mink lung) cell cultures. The virus formed cytopathic effects that were consistent with expectations for a morbillivirus. This case illustrates the level of information that can be gathered in a cooperative diagnostic approach to individual animal health assessments with well-preserved fresh dead stranded cetaceans.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the members of the National Marine Fisheries Service Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Network Southeast Region who have contributed to this and other cases to expand health assessment efforts and disease detection potential in stranded animals. Special thanks to Marine Aquarium Stranding Team and NMFS for support in pursuing these efforts.
*Presenting authors
+Student presenter