Dear List members,
We are pleased to announce the publication of our paper.
Fury, C.A., and Reif, J.S.
2012. Incidence of poxvirus-like lesions in two
estuarine dolphin populations in Australia: Links to flood
events. Science of The Total Environment
416: 536-540.
doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.11.056.
Abstract: We report on the
incidence of poxvirus-like lesions assessed by photographic
identification in two estuarine populations of bottlenose dolphins
(Tursiops aduncus) in Australia over a 3-year period. Poxvirus infections
of odontocetes are characterized by pinhole or ring-like skin lesions
that appear as solitary or coalesced circular gray blemishes.
Environmental and physiological stressors are believed to contribute to
their manifestation (Van Bressem et al., 2009). A total of 187 boat-based
surveys were completed from October 2003 to September 2006 in the
Clarence River (CR) and Richmond River (RR) estuaries, with 720 dolphins
sighted. Forty-six individuals, including calves, were identified in the
CR and 23 in the RR. We investigated the temporal relationship between
four flood events that occurred in the region during the study period and
the occurrence of poxvirus-like skin lesions. Dolphin poxvirus-like
lesions were not observed in these populations prior to 2004. Following
flood events in 2004, 2005 and 2006, a total of 10 new cases were
observed, 6 in the CR and 4 in the RR. Our data suggest that the
occurrence of dolphin poxvirus-like lesions may be an indicator for
climatic events such as flooding. Long-term follow-up of these estuarine
populations is required to further clarify the factors leading to
‘outbreaks’ of poxvirus infections.
The paper can be downloaded from the journal website:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969711013714
You can also send me an email for a copy of the pdf.
Regards
Christine Fury
Christine Fury PhD
Marine Ecologist
PO Box 390 Kingston, Hobart, TASMANIA 7050