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FIRST CASE OF LOBOMYCOSIS IN A BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN FROM SOUTHERN BRAZIL
Author(s) -
SimõseLopes P. C.,
Paula G. S.,
Both M. C.,
Xavier F. M.,
Scaramello A. C.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
marine mammal science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.723
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1748-7692
pISSN - 0824-0469
DOI - 10.1111/j.1748-7692.1993.tb00462.x
Subject(s) - lopes , wildlife , geography , humanities , biology , art , ecology , physics , quantum mechanics
Lobomycosis was first described by Lobo (193 1) at Recife, in northeast Brazil. For many years it was considered an exclusively human pathology, limited to Latin America, but this view has changed with the first reports of the disease in bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, derived from the Florida coast (Migaki et al. 1971, Woodard 1972, Poelma et al. 1974, Caldwell et al. 1975, Dudok van Heel 1977, Bossart 1984, Dailey 1985). Vries and Laarman (1973) report the occurrence of this mycosis in Sotalia guianensis (= Sotulia fluviatilis Gervais) based on a specimen captured in the estuary of the Surinam River. This report of lobomycosis in a wild bottlenose dolphin is the first record for the southwestern South Atlantic. A fresh adult female T. trucatus was recovered on 22 February 1990 in the jetties of Laguna (28”3O’S, 48”45’W), Santa Catarina State, southern Brazil. Its skull was preserved (UFSC 1089) in the Laboratorio de Mamiferos Aquaticos collection of the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. It was an exceptionally large animal (320 cm long) with several light-colored, verrucoid cutaneous lesions. These lesions were concentrated mainly on the flanks and ventral portion of the body, aEecting the bottom and sides of the lower jaw, throat, both sides of the flippers extending through the axillary region and part of the thorax, in addition to single patches on the sides of the tailstock (Fig. 1). Gross and microscopic findings were typical for this disease, Yellowish nodules (1 cm in diameter) with firm consistency could be observed into the reticular dermis. Histologic analysis of the cutaneous lesion revealed a chronic granulomatous inflammation with severe acanthosis. This tissue presented agglomerates of fungal lemon-shaped elements 15 pm in diameter with double walls and unipolar branching. The diagnosis was based on the cytologic examination of skin lesions, considering that it was not possible to isolate the etiological agent. The fungal elements were identified as Loboa loboi by the use of light microscopy, but there are still many doubts considering the occurrence of secondary invasion and contaminants. The geographical distribution of the disease is poorly understood. According to Caldwell et al. (1975) lobomicosis in Florida bottlenose dolphins has been found at least since 1955. Despite the fact that we are dealing with an isolated case, this new record of lobomycosis in a wild bottlenose dolphin considerably changes the disease range, extending its known distribution to the South Atlantic Ocean as far as the Subtropical Convergence. The propagation of this mycosis remains unknown, making necessary a complete inventory of other species of South American cetaceans.