[MARINE_BIOLOGY_INTERNATIONAL] ENCEPHALITIS, PROTOZOAL, PORPOISE - CANADA (BRITISH COLUMBIA),

ENCEPHALITIS, PROTOZOAL, PORPOISE - CANADA (BRITISH COLUMBIA), REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
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Date: 20 May 2011
Source:Metro - Vancouver [edited]
<http://www.metronews.ca/vancouver/local/article/862616--fluid-buildup-in-brain-killed-porpoise-doctor?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feedutm_campaign=Feed%3A+wdinNewsDigestGeoRSS+%28Wildlife+Disease+News+Digest+GeoRSS+Feed%29&utm_term=wdinNewsDigestGeoRSS>

Fluid buildup in brain killed porpoise: Doctor
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Fluid buildup in the brain was likely behind the death of a harbour porpoise rescued by the Vancouver Aquarium, animal rescue staff announced yesterday [19 May 2011]. Siyay, a 2-year-old male porpoise, died early Sunday morning [15 May 2011] after being saved 18 days earlier off Salt Spring Island and receiving round-the-clock care.

A porpoise is a mammal related to dolphins and whales (see photo link in Comments below).

Veterinarian Martin Haulena said the preliminary necropsy results were a surprise because it found hydrocephalus -- a condition that may have been caused by a parasite called protozoal encephalitis -- to be the primary cause of Siyay's death. He said British Columbia vets haven't seen this disease before in their examinations of dead sea creatures.

"Why are marine animals getting infected by a terrestrial parasite?"
Haulena asked. "That is a huge issue. We have fresh tissues, which are incredibly rare for us to have, so even in death he is going to be a very important animal."

The sea mammal was also suffering from a lungworm-type disease, gastric ulcers and parasites, he added. "This animal represents a bigger loss for us just because it's a slightly rare species and the close interaction that people had to have with him," Haulena said.

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[Unfortunately, there is some confusing information presented by the article.

Protozoal encephalitis is a pathologic condition, not the causative organism. The cause of the porpoise's encephalitis, if it is due to a protozoal organism, could be due to _Toxoplasma gondii_ or _Sarcocystis neuronai_. Antibodies to _Neospora caninum_ have also been found in several marine mammal species, so this causative organism might be added to the list.

Hopefully, J.P. Dubey's laboratory at USDA/ARS or some other expert laboratory will be able to help unravel which of these causative organisms is responsible for the encephalitis that killed Siyay, the 2-year-old porpoise in Vancouver. It would be a shame if we didn't get a definitive laboratory diagnosis as it appears good tissues have been saved.

References:
Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, Sarcocystis neurona, and Sarcocystis canis-like infections in marine mammals. Dubey, J.P., Zarnke, R., Thomas, N.J., Wong, S.K., Van Bonn, W., Briggs, M., Davis, J.W., Ewing, R., Mensea, M., Kwok, O.C.H., Romand S., Thulliez, P.
2004. Toxoplasma gondii, Veterinary Parasitology. 116:275-296.

Neospora caninum in wildlife. LuÃs F.P. Gondim. Trends in Parasitology Volume 22, Issue 6, June 2006, Pages 247-252

Meningoencephalitis Due to a Sarcocystis Neurona-like Protozoan in Pacific Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina richardsi) Jean-Martin Lapointe, Padraig J. Duignan, Antoinette E. Marsh, Frances M. Gulland, Bradd C.
Barr, Diane K. Naydan, Don P. King, Cindy A. Farman, Kathy A. Burek Huntingdon and Linda J. Lowenstine. The Journal of Parasitology Vol.
84, No. 6 (Dec., 1998), pp. 1184-1189.
- Mod.PC]

[Photo of harbor porpoise Porpoise (_Phocoena phocoena_):
<http://www.smast.umassd.edu/grad_students/studentprofiles/Shannon.jpg>

Saltspring Island location on HealthMap/ProMED interactive map:
<http://healthmap.org/r/0RT8>
Mod.JW]

[see also:
Undiagnosed deaths, harbor porpoises - Canada: (BC), RFI
20100514.1568
2006
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Cryptococcus gattii, porpoise, cat - USA (WA) 20061010.2902
1999
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Harbor porpoise, deaths - USA (Maine - North Carolina)(02)
19990503.0728
Harbor porpoise, deaths - USA (Maine to North Carolina)
19990430.0718
1997
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Porpoise mortality - Canada (BC) 19970527.1089] ..............................................................sb/jw/ep/pc/ejp/jw/ll
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