Nocardiosis in Free-Ranging Cetaceans from the Central-Eastern Atlantic Ocean and Contiguous Mediterranean Sea
Pablo Díaz-Santana,
Antonio Fernández,
Josue Díaz-Delgado,
Ana Isabel Vela,
Lucas Domínguez,
Cristian Suárez-Santana,
Raquel Puig-Lozano,
Carolina Fernández-Maldonado,
Eva Sierra,
Manuel Arbelo
Affiliations
Pablo Díaz-Santana
Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Hygiene (IUSA), University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, 35413 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Antonio Fernández
Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Hygiene (IUSA), University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, 35413 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Josue Díaz-Delgado
Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Hygiene (IUSA), University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, 35413 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Ana Isabel Vela
Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET), Complutense University, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Lucas Domínguez
Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET), Complutense University, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Cristian Suárez-Santana
Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Hygiene (IUSA), University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, 35413 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Raquel Puig-Lozano
Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Hygiene (IUSA), University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, 35413 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Carolina Fernández-Maldonado
Seashore Environment and Fauna, Calle Sevilla, 4, 11380 Cádiz, Spain
Eva Sierra
Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Hygiene (IUSA), University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, 35413 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Manuel Arbelo
Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health and Food Hygiene (IUSA), University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, 35413 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
We report the pathologic features of nocardiosis in five free-ranging delphinids from the Canary Islands and Andalusia, namely four striped dolphins (Stenella coerulealba) and one bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). All animals had a multiorgan (disseminated) pattern of infection involving suppurative to pyogranulomatous and thromboembolic lesions in two or more organs. Most affected organs were (by decreasing order) lung, pulmonary lymph nodes, liver, kidney, adrenal glands, and central nervous system. Typical intralesional and intravascular branched and filamentous bacteria were highlighted by Grocott’s methenamine silver and Gram stains. Bacterial analysis including 16S rRNA gene sequencing identified Nocardia farcinica in two striped dolphins and Nocardia otitidiscaviarum in one striped dolphin and the bottlenose dolphin. All dolphins tested (n = 4) for cetacean morbillivirus were negative; one dolphin had concurrent cutaneous herpesvirosis. These results provide the first record of N. otitidiscaviarum in cetaceans, the first account of N. farcinica in free-ranging dolphins, and confirmation of nocardiosis in central eastern Atlantic Ocean. These results expand the known geographic range of nocardiosis in cetaceans.
