Presence of cetacean morbillivirus (cemv) in stranded cetaceans in Canary islands

Abstract

Cetacean Morbillivirus (CeMV) is a virus belonging to the Paramyxoviridae Family. It has caused the most important panzootic outbreak reported in cetaceans affecting several species worldwide. Canary Archipelago is an important area to cetacean diversity and abundance. Recently, one case of CeMV in a stranded short-finned pilot whale has been reported in this Archipelago, with morbilliviral associated lesions. The aim of this study was realize a retrospective study on some stranded cetaceans in Canary Islands since 1996 to 2005 to determine the presence of CeMV. It would let to improve the knowledge about the health status of the cetacean populations. 27 individuals stranded in Canary Islands since 1996 to 2005, belonging to five species were necropsied and samples of lung and brain were frozen to -80ºC until assay. The species studied were: bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) (n=9), Cuvier´s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) (n=9), short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus) (n=6), Blainville's beaked whale (Mesoplodon densirostris) (n=2) and True's beaked whale (Mesoplodon mirus) (n=1). CeMV was detected using an one step RT-PCR of a 427 bp. conserved region of the phosphoprotein gene, described previously and modified under our laboratory conditions. Additionally, a control of CeMV kindly provided by Dr. Tom Barrett (Pirbright Institute, UK) was included. Three samples were positive to CeMV RT-PCR, two short-finned pilot whales and one bottlenose dolphin. All beaked whales were negative. The overall prevalence for all species was 11.11% (3/27). This work is the first about prevalence of CeMV in the Canary Archipelago, finding CeMV in two species of cetaceans: bottlenose dolphin and short-finned pilot whale. Molecular evidence of CeMV has been demonstrated in two cetacean species of the Canary Archipelago. Further histopathological studies are necessary to identify morbilliviral lesions and consequently elucidate the role of this virus in their health status.