Infection with Pythium flevoense in a harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) as a novel cause of dermatitis in marine mammals

Abstract The oomycete Pythium flevoense was diagnosed as the cause of dermatitis in a young adult female harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) that had been trapped in a pound net in a temperate saltwater environment. Disease from Pythium sp. infection—pythiosis—is infrequently diagnosed in humans, h...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Veterinary Research
Main Authors: Edwin J. B. Veldhuis Kroeze, Cornelis E. van Elk, Marco W. G. van de Bildt, Peter R. W. A. van Run, Geoffrey Foster, Nissrine Abou-Chakra, Rasmus Krøger Hare, Thijs Kuiken
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: BMC 2023
Subjects:
Novel pathogen
oomycete
Pythium flevoense
marine mammal
cetacean
harbour porpoise
Veterinary medicine
SF600-1100
Harbour porpoise
Phocoena phocoena
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13567-023-01226-1
https://doaj.org/article/285ff98fba3e4d708f6961ca2050feeb
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Summary:Abstract The oomycete Pythium flevoense was diagnosed as the cause of dermatitis in a young adult female harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) that had been trapped in a pound net in a temperate saltwater environment. Disease from Pythium sp. infection—pythiosis—is infrequently diagnosed in humans, horses, dogs, cattle, and few other mammalian species. Pythiosis is typically associated with exposure to tropical or subtropical freshwater conditions, and typically caused by Pythium insidiosum. However, until now, pythiosis has been reported in neither marine mammals nor temperate saltwater conditions, and P. flevoense is not known as a cause of pythiosis in mammals. This porpoise developed generalised dermatitis despite treatment and euthanasia was necessary. Histopathological evaluation revealed a chronic active erosive dermatitis, with intralesional hyphae morphologically consistent with a Pythium sp. PCR analysis and sequencing of affected skin matched Pythium flevoense with a 100% similarity to the reference strain. Additional diagnostics excluded other pathogens. Based on this case report, P. flevoense needs to be considered as a mammalian pathogen. Furthermore, harbour porpoises and possibly other marine mammals may be at risk of infection with P. flevoense, and pythiosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of dermatitis in marine mammals.

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