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Monk seal mortality: virus or toxin?
A Osterhaus1, M van de Bildt, L Vedder
1Erasmus University Hospital Rotterdam, Institute of Virology, The Netherlands. Osterhaus@viro.fgg.eur.nl
Vaccine
|July 31, 1998
Summary
A mysterious disease outbreak killed over half of the endangered Mediterranean monk seal population. A morbillivirus, similar to dolphin morbillivirus, was identified as the cause, suggesting vaccination as a conservation strategy.
Area of Science:
- Marine Mammal Health
- Conservation Virology
Background:
- A significant die-off event affected the endangered Mediterranean monk seal population (Monachus monachus) in the Saharan Atlantic.
- The outbreak's characteristics resembled previous pinniped and cetacean disease events linked to morbilliviruses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the cause of a mysterious mass mortality event in Mediterranean monk seals.
- To identify the etiological agent responsible for the high mortality rate in this endangered species.
Main Methods:
- Epizootiological and postmortem examinations of deceased seals.
- Virological and toxicological analyses of tissue samples from fresh carcasses.
Main Results:
- Findings indicated a morbillivirus infection closely related to dolphin morbillivirus (DMV).
- The virus likely originated from an infected dolphin population in the same geographic area.
Conclusions:
- Infection with a DMV-like morbillivirus was identified as the primary cause of the monk seal mortality.
- Vaccination using a non-replicating vaccine is proposed as a crucial management strategy for Mediterranean monk seal conservation.