Osteoarthritis of the temporomandibular joint in the Eastern Atlantic harbour seal (Phoca vitulina vitulina) from the German North Sea: a study of the lesions seen in dry bone

• Main Authors: Ludolphy, Catharina, Kahle, Patricia, Kierdorf, Horst, Kierdorf, Uwe
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Figshare 2018
• Subjects: Medicine; 59999 Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified; FOS Earth and related environmental sciences; Ecology; FOS Biological sciences; 69999 Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified; harbour seal; Phoca vitulina
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4086701; https://figshare.com/collections/Osteoarthritis_of_the_temporomandibular_joint_in_the_Eastern_Atlantic_harbour_seal_Phoca_vitulina_vitulina_from_the_German_North_Sea_a_study_of_the_lesions_seen_in_dry_bone/4086701

Abstract Background Pathological changes and resulting functional impairment of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) can substantially affect physical condition, morbidity, and mortality of wildlife species. Analysis of TMJ disorders is therefore of interest for the characterization of the health status of populations of wild mammals. This paper, for the first time, analyses the prevalence of TMJ osteoarthritis (TMJ-OA) and the spectrum of osteoarthritic bone lesions of the TMJ in the Eastern Atlantic harbour seal (Phoca vitulina vitulina), applying a standardized scoring system. Dry skulls of 1872 individuals from the German North Sea, collected between 1961 and 1994, were examined for lesions consistent with a diagnosis of TMJ-OA. Of the skulls, 913 (48.8%) were from male, 959 (51.2%) from female seals, with age at death ranging from 2 weeks to 25 years. Possible associations of TMJ-OA with dental or periodontal disorders were also analysed. Results Lesions consistent with TMJ-OA were found in 963 (53.9%) of the 1787 juvenile/subadult (5 weeks to 5 years of age) and adult (> 5 years) specimens, the condition mostly (95.0% of affected individuals) occurring in a bilateral fashion. Males were affected more frequently than females (p