1
|
Balseiro A, Herrero-García G, Royo LJ, Armenteros JÁ, Altonaga JR, Monasterio JM, Balsera R, Pool RV, García Marín JF, Pis-Millán JA. Hypertrophic osteopathy in a common dolphin ( Delphinus delphis) with concurrent pulmonary Halocercus delphini infestation. Heliyon 2023; 9:e17011. [PMID: 37484216 PMCID: PMC10361101 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Dolphins are marine mammals that often live in coastal habitats. Common causes of severe skeletal disorders among wild dolphins are congenital vertebral anomalities, collisions with sea vessels, trauma, hunting-related injury, infectious diseases, environmental pollution, and tumors. A free-ranging male, 3-year-old common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) was found dead in the coast of Asturias in northern Spain. Postmortem examination revealed lordosis in the caudal vertebral column, while X-ray imaging and computer tomography showed well-organized palisade-like periosteal proliferation, appearing as florid-like accretions, along the spinous apophysis of 26 lumbar-caudal vertebrae. The transverse apophysis was affected on only a few caudal vertebrae. The cortical layer remained intact. Histology of vertebra tissue showed periosteal proliferation of cancellous bone. The animal was diagnosed with hypertrophic osteopathy. The lungs showed diffuse parasitic granulomatous bronchointerstitial pneumonia caused by Halocercus delphini, consolidation of the pulmonary tissue, congestion, and alveolar edema. The animal was also afflicted by parasitic granulomatous gastritis caused by Anisakis simplex sensu lato and tattoo skin disease. The dolphin suffered from hypertrophic osteopathy associated with pulmonary Halocercus delphini infestation. This syndrome, known as hypertrophic pulmonary osteopathy, has been described in diverse terrestrial mammals, including domestic animals, wildlife and humans, but not in dolphins. This case reports the first description of hypertrophic osteopathy associated to a pulmonary disorder in dolphin, and it provides insights into factors that can induce column malformation in dolphins, suggesting the importance of taking thoracic lesions into account during differential diagnosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Balseiro
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Gloria Herrero-García
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Luis J. Royo
- Servicio Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario del Principado de Asturias (SERIDA), 33300 Villaviciosa, Spain
- Departamento de Biología Funcional, Genética, Universidad de Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Spain
| | - José Ángel Armenteros
- Dirección General de Medio Natural y Planificación Rural del Principado de Asturias, 33007 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | - José R. Altonaga
- Hospital Veterinario de León, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Juana M. Monasterio
- Dirección General de Medio Natural y Planificación Rural del Principado de Asturias, 33007 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | - Ramón Balsera
- Dirección General de Medio Natural y Planificación Rural del Principado de Asturias, 33007 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | - Rachel V. Pool
- Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Parc Cientific, Universitat de Valencia, 46980 Paterna, Spain
| | | | - José Antonio Pis-Millán
- Centro de Experimentación Pesquera, Dirección General de Pesca Marítima del Principado de Asturias, 33212 Gijón, Spain
| |
Collapse
|