Emerging Infectious Diseases (Jan 2017)

Dolphin Morbillivirus Associated with a Mass Stranding of Sperm Whales, Italy

  • Sandro Mazzariol,
  • Cinzia Centelleghe,
  • Andrea Di Provvido,
  • Ludovica Di Renzo,
  • Giusy Cardeti,
  • Antonella Cersini,
  • Gianluca Fichi,
  • Antonio Petrella,
  • Cristina Esmeralda Di Francesco,
  • Walter Mignone,
  • Cristina Casalone,
  • Giovanni Di Guardo

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2301.160239
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 23, no. 1
pp. 144 – 146

Abstract

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In September 2014, seven sperm whales were stranded along Italy’s Adriatic coastline. Postmortem investigations on 3 female adult whales and 1 male fetus carried by the largest female revealed molecular and immunohistochemical evidence of dolphin morbillivirus infection. A possible role of the virus in the stranding event was considered.

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