Guiana Dolphin Unusual Mortality Event and Link to Cetacean Morbillivirus, Brazil

During November–December 2017, a mass die-off of Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) began in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Molecular and pathologic investigations on 20 animals indicated that cetacean morbillivirus played a major role. Our findings increase the knowledge on health and disease aspects of this endangered species.

and stained them with hematoxylin and eosin. We recorded detailed histopathologic findings of 6 animals positive for CeMV by RT-PCR (Table 2). One specimen had lesions consistent with CeMV infection, including marked multifocal, subacute bronchointerstitial pneumonia with type II pneumocyte hyperplasia, syncytia, and scattered intraepithelial, intranuclear, and intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies (INCIBs); mild to moderate multifocal histiocytic and lymphoplasmacytic mastitis with necrosis and epithelial INCIBs (Figure 2, panels A-C); and multicentric lymphoid depletion. In addition, most animals had moderate to severe verminous bronchopneumonia and pleuritis with morphologic evidence of pulmonary arterial hypertension, multicentric eosinophilic and necrotizing lymphadenitis, and chronic aortic endarteritis by adult nematodes and pulmonary endarteritis by migrating larval nematodes histomorphologically compatible with Halocercus brasiliensis (8). Other common findings included moderate to poor body condition and lack of ingesta with small amounts of feces. Two (10%) of the 20 animals (which were negative for CeMV by RT-PCR) showed typical external net markings and multiorgan acute hemodynamic alterations (congestion, edema, and hemorrhage) supporting asphyxia due to bycatch as the cause of death. We performed immunohistochemistry studies using a monoclonal antibody against the nucleoprotein antigen of canine distemper virus (CDV-NP mAb; VMRD Inc., Pullman, WA, USA), as described (2). In lung tissue sections (cases 1, 2, 11, and 13), we evaluated number and distribution of immunopositive cells and immunolabeling intensity.
Lung samples from all animals tested showed widespread and intense immunolabeling in bronchial, bronchiolar, and alveolar epithelium, alveolar macrophages, and syncytia ( Figure 2, panels D,E).
In this investigation, typical histopathologic findings consistent with CeMV were evident in 1 animal, indicating a systemic infection. Although chronic bronchointerstitial pneumonia and multicentric lymphoid depletion observed in most animals are common findings in CeMV-infected cetaceans, these lesions were considerably overlapped by H. brasiliensis endoparasitosis. The pathologic signatures of GD-CeMV remain unknown. No other CeMV strain has been described in the South Atlantic Ocean. In subacute and chronic CeMV presentations, fatalities are often ascribed  to secondary infections (e.g., toxoplasmosis, aspergillosis) (9,10). In our cohort, autolysis precluded microscopic examinations in some animals, so we could not draw further pathologic conclusions. Nonetheless, moderate to severe parasitosis by H. brasiliensis likely accounted for severe illness in most cases. Intense viral replication in the mammary acinar epithelium in a lactating female may imply a vertical transmission route, in addition to the horizontal aerogenous and direct contact routes (10). Therefore, future pathologic and epidemiologic studies in the South Atlantic should consider vertical transmission. Two cases from this cohort were bycaught, further supporting the multifactorial nature of the ongoing unusual mortality event.
The Guiana dolphin is a coastal and estuarine delphinid endemic from southern Brazil to Central America and one of the most threatened South Atlantic cetaceans, for which 1352 Emerging Infectious Diseases • www.cdc.gov/eid • Vol. 24, No. 7, July 2018 *INCIBs, intranuclear and intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies; no., animal no. †No significant lesions were observed for large intestine, thyroid, skin, trachea, cerebrum, cerebellum, spinal cord, or skeletal muscle. ‡No significant lesions were observed for keratinized and pyloric stomach, tongue, aorta, small intestine, pancreas, or trachea. §Unable to observe lesions in liver, spleen, kidney, testicle, trachea, small and large intestine, skin, periaortic lymph node, cerebrum, or cerebellum because of advanced autolysis of animal. ¶Unable to observe lesions in ovary, skin, liver, skeletal muscle, heart, kidney, spleen, large intestine, bladder, lymph node, or adrenal gland because of advanced autolysis of animal. #Unable to observe lesions in small intestine, liver, skeletal muscle, adrenal gland, bladder, kidney, or heart because of advanced autolysis of animal.
recent studies demonstrate severe population decline (11). Because of its near-shore distribution and site fidelity (12), the Guiana dolphin is susceptible to the effects of human activities (e.g., habitat degradation, chemical pollution, noise, and bycatch) (13). Many intricate and complex anthropic and natural factors interplay and modulate the decline of species. Human activities are by far the major threat and cause for decimation of cetacean populations (14); however, natural factors such as highly infectious pathogens, e.g., CeMV, may drive decimating events in susceptible hosts (15).

Conclusions
We provide compelling molecular and pathologic evidence associating GD-CeMV infection with the ongoing Guiana dolphin mass die-off near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. As of January 2018, this event had resulted in the deaths of >200 Guiana dolphins in southern Rio de Janeiro state, and the deaths appeared to be extending southward. The environmental consequences and conservation effects, coupled with the anthropogenic threats, are expected to be dramatic. The factors underlying the die-off are being investigated, but our results indicate that GD-CeMV plays a major contributory role. Our findings increase the body of knowledge on health and disease aspects of this endangered species.

About the Author
Dr. Groch is a postdoctoral fellow studying the advancement of pathology of cetaceans in Brazil, particularly of infectious diseases. Her current research focuses on determining geographic and host ranges for CeMV, as well as delineating the pathologic signature and CeMV strains present in cetaceans of Brazil.