Dear MARMAM community, On behalf of my co-authors, I am very pleased to share our new open-access paper entitled: “Culture-based characterization of the respiratory mycobiota and antifungal resistance in bottlenose dolphins under human care” Published in One Health: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.onehlt.2026.101439 Abstract: Fungal colonization and antifungal resistance in marine mammals remain critically understudied despite their potential ecological, clinical, and One Health relevance. In this study, we performed a comprehensive culture-based characterization of the respiratory fungal community in ten common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) under human care, using non-invasive exhaled breath sampling, differential incubation temperatures, and antifungal susceptibility testing. We identified 19 fungal taxa and 91 isolates, with filamentous fungi predominating over yeasts. Aspergillus was the most frequently recovered genus, including A. niger, A. fumigatus, A. terreus, A. flavus, and species not previously reported in cetaceans, such as A. glaucus and A. ochraceus. Other relevant molds included Fusarium dimerum and Mucor spp. The recovered yeasts included Candida albicans, Nakaseomyces glabratus, and Meyerozyma guilliermondii. Antifungal susceptibility testing revealed azole resistance or reduced susceptibility among several yeast and filamentous fungal isolates, including multidrug-resistant profiles. Susceptibility to echinocandins and amphotericin B was preserved. Resistant isolates were mainly detected in dolphins with previous antifungal exposure, raising concern about potential selective pressure in managed settings. No pathogenic fungi shared with the dolphins were recovered from aquarium water.
From a marine mammal health perspective, this study provides new baseline information on the respiratory fungal communities of bottlenose dolphins and highlights the potential influence of previous antifungal exposure on resistance patterns. Although the study was conducted in dolphins under human care, the findings also raise broader questions regarding fungal disease surveillance, therapeutic decision-making, and the potential role of cetaceans as sentinels of environmental antifungal resistance. Authors: Victor Garcia-Bustos; Alba Cecilia Ruiz-Gaitán; Begoña Acosta-Hernández; Teresa Álvaro; Carlos Rojo-Solís; Mónica Valls; José Manuel Pérez-Royo; Inmaculada Rosario Medina. If you have any questions about our findings, are conducting related research, or would be interested in exploring potential collaborations on fungal ecology, infectious diseases, or antifungal resistance in marine mammals, please feel free to get in touch at victor_garcia@iislafe.es. Best wishes, Victor Garcia-Bustos University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Severe Infection Research Group Health Research Institute La Fe, Valencia, Spain
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