scholarly journals Tuberculosis in wild South American sea lions Otaria flavescens stranded in Chubut, Argentina

2020 ◽  
Vol 142 ◽  
pp. 33-40
Author(s):  
C Fiorito ◽  
J Marfil ◽  
E Falzoni ◽  
M Martínez Vivot ◽  
M Zumárraga ◽  
...  

Pinniped tuberculosis, commonly caused by Mycobacterium pinnipedii, is a zoonotic disease reported in free-living and captive otariid species of the southern hemisphere. Currently, data concerning pinniped tuberculosis in South America are scarce, reinforcing the need for further studies of the disease in free-ranging pinnipeds. In this study, we investigated the presence of tuberculosis in South American sea lions Otaria flavescens (SASLs) stranded along the Chubut coastline (Argentina). Necropsies were performed in 9 SASLs, and tissue samples were collected for histopathology, bacteriology, and molecular diagnosis. Four SASLs showed enlarged tracheobronchial lymph nodes (TBLNs) with multifocal to coalescing granulomas. In these animals, a direct IS6110-PCR amplification confirmed the presence of a Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex member in TBLNs (n = 4) and lungs (n = 2), but the agent could not be further identified. In one SASL, Mycobacterium murale was isolated from lungs without lesions. This study confirms the presence of tuberculosis in SASLs from Chubut, where tourist activities promote close interaction with the animals, generating a potential risk to human health. Further research is currently focusing on addressing the prevalence of tuberculosis in wild SASLs, to assess the risk for public health and develop management strategies to avoid human infection.

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Hermosilla ◽  
Liliana M. R. Silva ◽  
Mauricio Navarro ◽  
Anja Taubert

The present study represents the first report on the gastrointestinal endoparasite fauna of a free-ranging “urban” colony of South American sea lions (Otaria flavescens) living within the city of Valdivia, Chile. A total of 40 individual faecal samples of South American sea lions were collected during the year 2012 within their natural habitat along the river Calle-Calle and in the local fish market of Valdivia. Coprological analyses applying sodium acetate acetic formalin methanol (SAF) technique, carbol fuchsin-stained faecal smears and Giardia/Cryptosporidium coproantigen ELISAs, revealed infections with 8 different parasites belonging to protozoan and metazoan taxa with some of them bearing anthropozoonotic potential. Thus, five of these parasites were zoonotic (Diphyllobothriidae gen. sp., Anisakidae gen. sp., Giardia, Cryptosporidium, and Balantidium). Overall, these parasitological findings included four new parasite records for Otaria flavescens, that is, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Balantidium, and Otostrongylus. The current data serve as a baseline for future monitoring studies on anthropozoonotic parasites circulating in these marine mammals and their potential impact on public health.


2009 ◽  
Vol 67 (3) ◽  
pp. 475-482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Vilata ◽  
Doris Oliva ◽  
Maritza Sepúlveda

Abstract Vilata, J., Oliva, D., and Sepúlveda, M. 2010. The predation of farmed salmon by South American sea lions (Otaria flavescens) in southern Chile. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 67: 475–482. The South American sea lion Otaria flavescens is abundant off southern Chile. Because Chilean salmon farming has experienced an explosive growth in the past two decades, interactions between O. flavescens and this industry have increased. Fieldwork, including in situ behavioural observations, was carried out at three salmon farms off southern Chile from May to July 2008. The aim was to analyse possible patterns in the interactions and to evaluate whether they were influenced by the endogenous circa-rhythms of the species, prey size, tidal flux, and the use of an acoustic harassment device (AHD). The results showed that the attacks by O. flavescens followed seasonal patterns, with salmon predated more in autumn and winter, and daily patterns, with more interactions at night. In addition, attacks were more frequent on larger salmon, suggesting the existence of a prey-size preference. More sea lions were sighted at the ebb and flow tide peaks, when currents are stronger, suggesting that currents linked to tidal flux might facilitate the access of the sea lions to the farmed salmon. Although the use of AHDs appeared positive at one site, there is a strong suspicion that their efficacy may be site-specific.


Author(s):  
Pablo Reyes ◽  
Rodrigo Hucke-Gaete ◽  
Juan Pablo Torres-Florez

This paper presents results of a study conducted on the trawling industrial fishery fleet of Merluccius gayi in south-central Chile, and the resulting interactions with the South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens). This study is based on observations made during September 2004, when incidental sea lion catch in the trawls was 6.3 sea lions/working day (1.2 sea lions/trawl−1). A total of 82 animals were incidentally caught, of which 12 were found dead, and the 70 remaining suffered from internal bleeding and/or fractures as a result of their capture. 83.3% of the fatalities occurred during nocturnal trawls, which comprise 30% of all observed trawls. Possible mechanisms of sea lion take are discussed. This note presents the first records of sea lions incidental by-catch by the trawler fleet along the south-east Pacific coast of Chile.


2019 ◽  
Vol 118 (2) ◽  
pp. 433-440 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesús S. Hernández-Orts ◽  
Francisco E. Montero ◽  
Néstor A. García ◽  
Enrique A. Crespo ◽  
Juan A. Raga ◽  
...  

2016 ◽  
Vol 174 (2) ◽  
pp. 325-327
Author(s):  
Paula S. Polizzi ◽  
L. N. Chiodi Boudet ◽  
A. Ponce de León ◽  
M. Quiroga ◽  
D. H. Rodríguez ◽  
...  

2013 ◽  
Vol 88-89 ◽  
pp. 106-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federico G. Riet-Sapriza ◽  
Daniel P. Costa ◽  
Valentina Franco-Trecu ◽  
Yamandú Marín ◽  
Julio Chocca ◽  
...  

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