Epidemiological characteristics of skin disorders in cetaceans from South American waters

We document the macroscopic phenotypic characteristics (relative size, location, pattern, colour, extension), prevalence and evolution of five types of skin disorders of unknown aetiology, including ‘green-brown plaques’ (GBP), ‘orange patches’ (OPA), ‘cutaneous nodules’ (NOD), ‘pale dermatitis’ (PAD) and ‘expansive annular lesions’ (EAL) in five odontocete species (n = 559 individuals) from the Southeast Pacific (n = 230) and Southwest Atlantic (n = 329) oceans. GBP affected two likely-adult Sotalia guianensis traveling side-by-side in a freshwater area of the Cananéia Estuary in August 2009. Low salinity is suggested as predisposing factor. OPA were distinguished in three of 209 (1.4%) free-ranging S. guianensis in Sepetiba Bay, Brazil, during winter months of 2005-2008. Epibiont diatoms are suspected aetiological agents. NOD were chronically present in one male adult Orcinus orca observed off the coast of southern Brazil in 2007-2010. PAD was seen in free-ranging individuals and carcasses of Tursiops truncatus, S. guianensis and Pseudorca crassidens from both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans in 1992 and in 2004-2009. Prevalence was 1% in 103 S. guianensis from Paranaguá Estuary (Brazil), 2.3% in 222 S. guianensis from Sepetiba Bay and 6.9% in 87 inshore T. truncatus from Paracas Bay, Peru. Although in some cases the lesions covered up to 35-40% of the visible body surface and ulcers may occur there was no evidence of mortality and, in time-series of six individuals, PAD eventually healed. In six T. truncatus and five S. guianensis acutely affected, PAD was associated with minor cutaneous injuries and scars, including tooth rakes, suggesting infection routes for opportunistic pathogens. EAL were noted in a Cephalorhynchus eutropia calf from Palena province, Chile, in 2003 and in a P. crassidens calf washed ashore dead in southern Brazil in 2009. The C. eutropia calf disappeared, and probably died, two weeks after first observation. Prevalence of EAL was 6.7% in 15 C. eutropia in 2002-2004. These data suggest that EAL are potentially lethal in calves. PAD and EAL were primarily seen in cetaceans inhabiting biologically or chemically contaminated nearshore waters. In view of their emergence and occasional severity these disorders should be the subject of systematic monitoring

Insights on fungal solid-state fermentation for waste valorization : conidia and chitinase production in different reactor configurations

Altres ajuts: Acord transformatiu CRUE-CSICAltres ajuts: Arnau Sala also thanks Universitat Aut'onoma de Barcelona for a predoctoral scholarship.Different reactor configurations are paired with a wide variety of agro-industrial wastes of different biodegradability to produce fungal conidia by solid-state fermentation. This work presents a preliminary comparative study between packed-bed and tray reactor configurations to produce Beauveria bassiana and Trichoderma harzianum conidia using two different substrates in terms of biodegradability: rice husk or beer draff complemented with wood chips. Conidia production, mean temperature and respiration indexes have been analysed in most of the presented reactor configurations. Both strains showed higher conidia production when using beer draff complemented with wood chips as substrate due to the use of a mixture as substrate. When working with beer draff, chitinase analyses obtained similar profiles in both strains but higher overall values using TH. Conidia and chitinase production maximums were not achieved at the same time, having 2-3 days of difference depending on the strain. No significant differences in mean temperature were shown between most of the performed fermentations. As a result of the present work, further scaling of both packed bed and tray configurations using beer draff and wood chips to produce BB or TH conidia would be advisable. More experiments should be performed to optimize both conidia and chitinase productions to enhance the quality of the final product

Rotura del tendón distal del bíceps braquial

Objetivo: presentar nuestra experiencia en el tratamiento de las roturas del tendón del bíceps braquial en trabajadores manuales. Material y métodos: Hemos intervenido a 9 pacientes con una edad media de 47 años, realizando en 8 ocasiones una reinserción transósea del tendón en la tuberosidad bicipital del radio por medio de una doble vía de abordaje. El seguimiento medio ha sido de 13 meses. Resultados: fueron excelentes, recuperando en todos los casos la fuerza muscular previa y una movilidad media final completa para la flexión y extensión, 85º de supinación y 86º de pronación. Todos se han reincorporado a su puesto de trabajo en un período entre los 3 y 4 meses. Conclusiones: Esta técnica se ha mostrado muy eficaz en el tratamiento de este tipo de patología, recomendándose siempre la cirugía en pacientes activos.Objective: to present our experience in the treatment of ruptures of the distal biceps braquialis tendon in hand workers. Methods: 9 patients, middle age 47, went under surgery, 8 of them with a transoseus reinsertion of the tendon in the bicipital tuberosity of the radius with a double surgical approach. The average follow-up was 13 months. Results: excellent results were achieved in all of the 9 patients, recovering previous muscle strength, with full range of flexion-extension, 85º of supination and 86º of pronation. All 9 patients return to work in a period of 3 to 4 months. Conclusion: this technique is effective in the treatment of this injury, and it is recommended in active patients

Common bottlenose dolphins <i>Tursiops truncatus</i> of Pacific South America, asynoptic review of population identification data. Report of the IWC Scientific Committee Meeting SC/67A/SM/10, Bled, Slovenia, May 2017

We succinctly summarize population ID information for common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus of the Pacific coast of South America, covering four coastal range states. Phylogenetic uncertainties relate primarily to offshore vs. coastal (inshore) ecotypes and biogeographic borders between the five proposed populations (2 offshore, 3 coastal): Colombia-Ecuador Offshore stock (probably = ETP Offshore), Peru-Chile Offshore, Ecuador Coastal, Peru Coastal and an unique community (Pod-R) on the north-central coast of Chile. Main questions concern the extent of gene flow between the offshore stocks at one hand, and with -and between- the three coastal populations at the other hand. Seven cranial characters, four non-metric (separation of occipital condyles, pterygoid bone development, exostosis of periotic) and three metric (tooth width, antorbital process length, maximum width palatines), dorsal fin shape, body stockiness, mt-DNA (control region), habitat, prey composition, parasite load, behaviour and prevalence of some infectious diseases differentiate coastal from offshore forms. 'Pod-R' is the southernmost (29°15'S) and only confirmed coastal form community in Chilean waters, albeit with an offshore (falcate) dorsal fin. Bottlenose dolphins which regularly transit nearshore in the Lagos and Aysén regions (Chilean Patagonia) and occasionally enter deep fjords, present an offshore morphotype. We suggest that two other coastal areas in Chile where bottlenose dolphins have been documented over decades, one a ca. 60 km stretch of coastline centered at Valparaiso/Laguna Verde (33°10'S) in central Chile, and a 190 km coastline around the Mejillones Peninsula (23°10'S) in northern Chile, may not host coastal but offshore form animals. The continental border of the Atacama Trench off northern and northcentral Chile leaves an extremely narrow, steep shelf with nearshore deep water, locally with strong coastal upwelling and increased productivity. This habitat seems to attract oceanic cetaceans, including offshore T. truncatus, sperm whales, large balaenopterids, and other species. The southern distribution range of true coastal morphotype bottlenose dolphins in Pacific South America remains unknown but off Chile distance-to-shore may not be the reliable indicator of ecotype as it is further north in the study region

Miscellaneous skin lesions of unknown aetiology in cetaceans from South America. Scientific Committee document SC/60/DW4, International Whaling Commission, June 2008, Santiago, Chile

We report on miscellaneous skin diseases or syndromes of unknown aetiology including whitish, velvety lesions (WVL, often associated with unrelated skin injuries, scars and tooth rakes), large, rounded lesions (LRL, large to very large lesions with an orange or dark outline and a light inner colour) and vesicular skin disease (VSD, small to medium vesicles) in Megaptera novaeangliae, Cephalorhynchus commersonii, C. eutropia, Pseudorca crassidens, Sotalia guianensis and Tursiops truncates from marine waters of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Peru and the Antarctic. No biopsy samples have been available yet for histopathology. WVL are now commonly recorded opportunistically through photo-identification studies in several coastal species and populations from South America. Mortality rates, if any, associated with these skin diseases is unknown. Though sometimes extensive and ulcerated WVL do not seem life-threatening and, at least in some individuals, may eventually heal. A calf C. eutropia with LRL died some weeks after being first sighted. While unknown bacteria or fungi superinfecting miscellaneous skin traumata and poxvirus tattoos are thought to cause WVL and LRL, vesiviruses are suspected as the aetiological agents of VSD. Importantly, all lesions were primarily seen in coastal cetaceans living in biologically or chemically contaminated waters. These various skin conditions may be indicative of a deteriorating coastal water environment and should be systematically monitored. Collection of biopsies or fresh samples for histopathology and microbiological analysis is urgently needed

Nuevas líneas de investigación del laboratorio de estudios apícolas (LabEA)

El LabEA trabaja en consonancia con la apicultura del sudoeste bonaerense a través de distintas líneas de investigación tradicionales, como producción de polen apícola, aplicación agrícola del propóleos, tipificación y calidad de mieles, estudio de las recompensas florales, impacto de los polinizadores sobre los cultivos. Una nueva línea se titula “Desarrollo de un nuevo producto nutricional para abejas (Apis mellifera)”. El objetivo general es desarrollar un suplemento con potencial probiótico constituido por microorganismos aislados de kéfir para contribuir a mitigar los actuales problemas nutricionales de la colmena. Otra nueva línea es el uso de complementos nutricionales provenientes de la producción apícola en la alimentación aviar. El objetivo general es demostrar el interés del uso de Apis mellifera y/o sus productos como una fuente de alimentación complementaria en la producción avícola. Ambas líneas son parte de dos tesis doctorales de becarias CIC. Las nuevas líneas de investigación permitirán asistir a los productores apícolas y avícolas al brindar soluciones especializadas a través de la generación de información científica y de la transferencia de los desarrollos logrados

Review of lobomycosis and lobomycosis-like disease (LLD) in Cetacea from South America. Scientific Committee document SC/60/DW13, International Whaling Commission, June 2008, Santiago, Chile

Caused by a yeast-like organism known as Lacazia loboi, Lobomycosis (or lacaziosis) naturally affects humans, common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncates) inhabiting coastal waters from southern Brazil to Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coast of Florida, as well as botos-cinza (Sotalia guianensis). These species are usually found in coastal waters, subject to runoff provided by large rivers and a considerable burden of associated contaminants. Histological and morphological studies demonstrated that the etiological agent of L. loboi infecting humans is different from the one found to infected dolphins. Moreover, it likely that dolphin-human infections do not occur although infected bottlenose dolphins were from populations engaged in cooperative fishing that involve a relative small number of dolphins and humans. The records of Lobomycosis and Lobomycosis-like disease (LLD) in Tramandaí estuary (29o58´S), Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, represent the southernmost distribution of L. loboi. On the other hand, the northernmost distribution of this disease is reported in the southern portion of Indian River Lagoon (27°25´N), Florida, USA. LLD seems to be more widespread, infecting both toothed small cetaceans and baleen whales, from the tropical Atlantic to the Pacific. Future studies should evaluate the association with impaired immune function in affected dolphins and the emergency of Lobomycosis. It may be associated with an immunosuppressive factor of environmental origin, such as exposure to pesticides or other agricultural or industrial contaminants, introduced through runoff or point sources of pollution, altering conditions to favour disease emergence. Lobomycosis should be assigned as neglected tropical disease, as should be the case of LLD, if future investigations indicate their connection as an emerging pathogen, its pathogenicity and environment requirements

Skin diseases in cetaceans. Scientific Committee document SC/60/DW8, International Whaling Commission, June 2008, Santiago, Chile

Micro-organisms that are known or suspected to cause skin diseases in cetaceans are briefly reviewed. Viruses belonging to four families i.e. Caliciviridae, Herpesviridae, Papillomaviridae and Poxviridae were detected by electron microscopy, histology and molecular techniques in vesicular skin lesions, black dots perceptible by the touch, warts and tattoos in several species of odontocetes and mysticetes. Herpesviruses, poxviruses and likely a cutaneous papillomavirus are cetacean specific. Among bacteria, Dermatophilus spp., Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, Mycobacterium marinum, Pseudomonas spp., Streptococcus iniae and Vibrio spp. were isolated from ulcerative dermatitis, pyogranulomatous dermatitis and panniculitis, diamond skin disease and slow-healing ulcers and abscesses. Aeremonas spp., Mycobacterium marinum, Pseudomonas spp. and Vibrio spp. are normally present in the marine environment while Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae and Streptococcus iniae are fish pathogens that may also infect captive dolphins. Most seem to be opportunistic pathogens, exploiting some break-down in the host’s defenses to initiate an infection. Selection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria through the prophylactic use of antibiotics in aquaculture is suggested to be a growing problem in South America and may account for the emergence of unusual cutaneous conditions. At least four groups of fungi i.e. Candida albicans, Fusarium spp., Trichophyton spp. and Lacazia loboi cause skin diseases. Candidiasis occurs predominantly in captive odontocetes. The lesions are often localized around the body orifices and may become extensive, granulating and ulcerated. Fusariosis is characterized by firm, erythematous, cutaneous nodules. Trichophyton spp. was isolated from widespread superficial nodules in an Atlantic T. truncates kept in captivity in Japan. Lobomycosis or lacaziosis is distinguished by grayish, whitish to slightly pink, verrucuous lesions, often in pronounced relief that may ulcerate. While initially described only in Tursiops truncates and Sotalia guianensis from the Americas, lobomycosis seems to be expanding to other continents. The role of ballast water in transporting fungi worldwide should be investigated. Finally, ciliated protozoans, likely Kyaroikeus cetarius, caused invasive dermatitis in small cetaceans from the USA and Korea. The aquatic environment of cetaceans is naturally home to bacteria and fungi but cetacean skin has several mechanisms to impede invasion. Chemical contaminants may affect natural skin barriers and depress the immune system. Wounds and specific viral infection (poxvirus, herpesvirus) may provide routes of entry

Economic activity and congenital anomalies: An ecologic study in Argentina

In this study, we analyze the association between industrial activity and the occurrence of 34 congenital anomalies. We selected 21 counties in Argentina during 1982-1994 and examined a total of 614,796 births in these counties in consecutive series. We used the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities as an indicator of exposure to 80 specific industrial activities. Incidence rate ratios for each congenital anomaly were adjusted by the socioeconomic level of the county according to a census index of social deprivation. For a given exposure/anomaly association to be considered as significant and relevant, the exposure had to be a statistically significant risk for the occurrence of the anomaly and an increase in the birth prevalence rate of the congenital anomaly type involved had to be observed in those counties where the putative causal activity was being performed. Significant associations (p < 0.01) were identified between textile industry and anencephaly, and between the manufacture of engines and turbines and microcephaly. These observations are consistent with previous reports on occupational exposure, and their further investigation by means of case-control studies is recommended.Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Celula

Economic activity and congenital anomalies: An ecologic study in Argentina

In this study, we analyze the association between industrial activity and the occurrence of 34 congenital anomalies. We selected 21 counties in Argentina during 1982-1994 and examined a total of 614,796 births in these counties in consecutive series. We used the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities as an indicator of exposure to 80 specific industrial activities. Incidence rate ratios for each congenital anomaly were adjusted by the socioeconomic level of the county according to a census index of social deprivation. For a given exposure/anomaly association to be considered as significant and relevant, the exposure had to be a statistically significant risk for the occurrence of the anomaly and an increase in the birth prevalence rate of the congenital anomaly type involved had to be observed in those counties where the putative causal activity was being performed. Significant associations (p < 0.01) were identified between textile industry and anencephaly, and between the manufacture of engines and turbines and microcephaly. These observations are consistent with previous reports on occupational exposure, and their further investigation by means of case-control studies is recommended.Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Celula