Dear Colleagues:

It is a nice pleasure to share another manuscript with you all. Anyone interested, please, get in touch and I'll promptly send the pdf file. Cheers,

Marcos Santos

Van Bressem, M-F; Santos, M. C. de O. & Oshima, J.E.F. 2009. Skin diseases in Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) from the Paranaguá estuary, Brazil: A possible indicator of a compromised marine environment. Marine Environmental Research, 67: 63-68.

Abstract: We report on the presence of lobomycosis-like disease (LLD) and nodular skin disease (NSD) in a community
of Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) inhabiting the biologically and chemically contaminated
Paranagua estuary (Brazil) and on their absence in the community living in the cleaner Cananeia estuary.
Prevalence rates of LLD and NSD were 3.9% and 12.6%, respectively, in 103 photo-identified (PI) dolphins
from the Paranagua estuary in the period 2006–2007. Adults and calves were affected. Lobomycosis-like
lesions may be extensive and form large plaques. Skin nodules were sometimes ulcerated and associated
with cutaneous traumas suggesting that traumatic injuries may play a role in the pathogenesis of this
condition. In two adult dolphins, NSD evoked the beginning of LLD. In 1996–2007 none of the 200 PI Cananeia
S. guianensis had LLD or NSD, a highly significant difference. Interestingly, these dolphins were
reported to harbour relatively low concentrations of organochlorines. LLD and NSD are possibly indicators
of environmental changes.

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Dr Marcos César de Oliveira Santos

Laboratório de Ecologia de Mamíferos
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia:
Diversidade e Manejo de Vida Silvestre
Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS),
Avenida Unisinos, 950,
São Leopoldo, RS, Brasil, 93022-000
E-mail: mcos@unisinos.br
Telefone/Phone: 51-3590-1229

&

Projeto Atlantis, Laboratório de Biologia da Conservação de Cetáceos
PROGRAMA JOVEM PESQUISADOR - FAPESP
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências,
Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP), Campus Rio Claro
Av 24-A, 1515, Bela Vista, Rio Claro, SP, Brasil, 13506-900.
E-mail: sotalia@rc.unesp.br

Endereço Residencial/Home Address:
Rua João Alfredo Panitz, 204, apto 602,
Centro, São Leopoldo, RS
93010-150
E-mail: sotalia@gmail.com
Telefone/Phone: 3037-2128