Morbillivirus reaches
Florida
Section one: Background information:
Under the
Marine Mammal
Protection Act of 1972 (as amended), an
Unusual Mortality Event (UME)
has been declared for
bottlenose
dolphins along the Atlantic coast from early July 2013 through the present.
Elevated strandings of bottlenose dolphins have occurred in New York, New
Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
All age classes of bottlenose dolphins are involved and strandings range
from a few live animals to mostly dead animals with many very decomposed. Many
dolphins have presented with lesions on their skin, mouth, joints, or lungs.
Go to the link above to see stranding statistics
Morbillivirus
The tentative cause of the UME is
being attributed to cetacean
morbillivirus, based upon preliminary diagnostic testing and discussion
with disease experts. Here are our results showing the total
number of morbillivirus cases identified so far. The information will be
updated as results become available.
The UME investigation is still
ongoing and additional contributory factors to the UME are under investigation
including other pathogens, biotoxins, range expansion, etc. Further evaluations
will continue over the next several months as new animals are found or new
evidence determines the direction of the investigation. These rigorous
investigations may take several more months to complete. Additional studies are
underway to better understand the characteristics of morbillivirus and the
potential impacts of this virus on dolphin stocks. These studies are in
collaboration with several NOAA laboratories and science centers, stranding
network members, non-profit research organizations and academic partners.
Brucella Bacteria
Brucella
sp. bacteria have been found in joint, brain or reproductive organ lesions
in dolphins in the UME area. Here are our results showing the total
number of Brucella cases identified so far. The information will be
updated as results become available. NOAA has been investigating Brucella
in marine mammal populations across the United States since 2011 and is working
closely with our stranding network partners, NOAA laboratories, the University
of Illinois, the CDC and State Departments of Health, the National Park
Service, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Section two: The virus has migrated to Florida
According to Subbaraman (2013), for NBC news, three stranded humpback whales
and two pygmy whales, tested positive for the dolphin morbillivirus in Florida.
So far, this UME has claimed 753 animals.
According to NOAA, the last UME was in 1988. If this event turns out to be
an outbreak similar to the last, it is only halfway through the time frame of
the last disease pattern, so numbers of deaths could be very high. It is too
soon to say if this is an outbreak.
Resident Florida bottlenose herds could become infected if they interact with
migrating herds. Currently there is no vaccine available for dolphin or other
cetacean species. This virus is unlikely to jump to humans, but NOAA states
that the immune systems of the stranded animals make secondary infections common
and those could infect humans.
Section three: What to do if you find a stranded animal
Leave the animal exactly where it is until
help arrives. If the dolphin is injured you could cause further damage by
moving it. You may have to help hold it upright, keeping it's blowhole above
water. DO NOT PUSH THE ANIMAL BACK INTO
THE WATER. The dolphin stranded for a reason and needs help. Please be
aware that when an animal strands, it may be sick. Therefore, please use every
precaution to protect yourself from any infectious diseases.
. To reduce stress to the animal,
do not allow people to touch the dolphin until the stranding response team
arrives. Keep pets and excess on-lookers away from the animal. Refrain from
touching the animal unnecessarily. Remember, it is a wild animal and is not
used to human "petting".
. Dolphins can overheat fast so their skin needs to stay cool and wet.
Water needs to be poured over the skin, but AVOID the blowhole. Make sure to avoid getting water or debris in
the blowhole, keeping it free from obstruction so the animal can breathe.
. T-shirts or towels soaked in cold/cool water can be put on the dolphin,
but DO NOT COVER the dorsal fin,
pectoral fins, tail flukes, and blowhole. Before applying a wet towel, cut
a slit large enough for the dorsal fin to fit through and lay it on the animal.
Make shade for the animal out of anything available, e.g. a tarp or beach
umbrella.
. Dolphins' bodies are not made to rest on land, so to make them more
comfortable you need to dig a small hole under each pectoral fin. You can also
dig a hole under the chest region and fill the hole with water. This will
relieve pressure on the animal's fins and lungs yet still support the chest.
. Stay away from the face and tail
flukes. A dolphin's tail is the most powerful part of its body and can
cause serious injury. Dolphins are very strong and muscular animals. Under NO
circumstances should you attempt to hold the tail. Be aware that dolphins can
move their heads from side to side and if they hit you with their rostrum/beak
(jawbone) while shaking their head, you can be badly hurt. They also have
needle-sharp teeth and they will bite if they feel threatened.
References:
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