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Image Rendering Techniques in Postmortem Computed Tomography: Evaluation of Biological Health and Profile in Stranded Cetaceans
Published on: September 27, 2020
Initial characterization of novel beaked whale morbillivirus in Hawaiian cetaceans
Jessica M Jacob1, Kristi L West, Gregg Levine
1College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Hawai'i Pacific University, 45-045 Kamehameha Highway, Kaneohe, Hawai'i 96744, USA.
Insights
A novel strain of Cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV), termed beaked whale morbillivirus (BWMV), is present in Hawaiian cetaceans. This finding highlights CeMV
Area of Science:
- Marine Mammal Health
- Wildlife Virology
- Ecosystem Health
Background:
- Cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV) causes significant mortality events in cetaceans globally.
- CeMV's presence and impact in the Pacific Ocean remain less understood compared to the Atlantic and Mediterranean.
- The first CeMV case in Hawai'i was identified in a Longman's beaked whale in 2010, with preliminary data suggesting a novel strain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and genetic characteristics of CeMV in stranded cetaceans in Hawai'i.
- To determine if the CeMV detected in Hawai'i represents a novel strain.
- To assess the prevalence and historical occurrence of CeMV in Hawaiian cetacean populations.
Main Methods:
- Archived tissue samples from stranded cetaceans in Hawai'i (1997-2014) were screened for CeMV.
- Positive samples were analyzed using sequence comparisons of the phosphoprotein (P) and nucleocapsid (N) genes.
- Detection rates were assessed through repeat sampling of positive lymph nodes to account for tissue heterogeneity.
Main Results:
- Beaked whale morbillivirus (BWMV) was detected in 15 individuals across 12 species (24% of examined stranded cetaceans).
- The earliest identified case was a humpback whale in 1998, indicating CeMV presence in Hawai'i predates the 2010 detection.
- Sequence analysis confirmed BWMV as a novel CeMV strain in the Central Pacific, distinct from but related to known CeMV strains.
- Lymph node sampling showed extreme heterogeneity in detection rates (2-61%), emphasizing challenges in diagnosing CeMV.
Conclusions:
- Beaked whale morbillivirus (BWMV) is likely common and established in Hawaiian cetacean populations.
- BWMV represents a novel strain of CeMV circulating in the Central Pacific.
- Understanding BWMV is crucial for managing CeMV and assessing health threats in understudied Pacific cetaceans.
Abstract:
Cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV) is a causative factor in epizootics that have resulted in thousands of deaths throughout the Atlantic and Mediterranean since 1987, but less is known of its presence and significance in the Pacific. The first case of CeMV reported in Hawai'i was in a Longman's beaked whale that stranded in 2010. The initial CeMV sequence from this individual indicated the possibility of a novel strain. To address this, archived samples from cetaceans that stranded in Hawai'i between 1997 and 2014 were screened for CeMV. The beaked whale morbillivirus (BWMV) was detected in 15 individuals representing 12 different species (24% of Code 1 and 2 stranded cetaceans). The earliest detected case was a humpback whale that stranded in 1998. Sequence comparisons of a 2.2 kb sequence spanning the phosphoprotein (P) and nucleocapsid (N) genes strongly suggest that the BWMV represents a novel strain of CeMV present in Hawai'i and the Central Pacific. In contrast to recently reported isolates from Brazil and Australia that may represent a distinct clade, BWMV appears to be more closely related to known strains of CeMV (dolphin morbillivirus; porpoise morbillivirus; and pilot whale morbillivirus). Detection rates with repeat sampling of positive lymph nodes were between 2 and 61%, illustrating the extreme heterogeneity that can occur in affected tissues. Taken together, these results suggest that BWMV may be common and established in Hawaiian cetacean populations. BWMV will be important for understanding CeMV and health threats in the relatively understudied cetaceans of the Pacific.
