Pathology of Morbillivirus and assessment of selected co-infections in cetaceans From the Brazilian coast

• Grant number: 15/05043-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Effective date (Start): April 01, 2016
• Effective date (End): August 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Pathology
• Principal Investigator: Jose Luiz Catao Dias
• Grantee: Kátia Regina Groch
• Supervisor: Antonio Jesús Fernández Rodríguez
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Research place: Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Spain
• Associated to the scholarship: 14/24932-2 - Research and characterization of Morbiliviruses of cetaceans in Brazil, BP.PD

Abstract

Morbillivirus is an emergent pathogen associated with severe epizootic outbreaks causing high number of deaths among pinnipeds and cetaceans. In Brazil only recently the virus was associated to cetacean mortality. Preliminary studies indicate that several cetacean species that have stranded and subsequently died along the Brazilian coast were infected showing that the virus may be more common that we expected in our coast. However, epizootic outbreaks and typical lesions have not commonly been observed in the cases. It has been suggested that animals that survive the acute stage of infection may succumb to opportunistic or secondary infections, and the lesions typical of acute infection may no longer be present or largely obscured by the inflammatory response to the opportunistic pathogens. Co-infections of Morbillivirus with herpesvirus, Brucella spp. and Toxoplasma spp. have been reported and may pose a significant threat to cetaceans. Although the mechanisms are not fully elucidated, morbillivirus is thought to immunocompromise individuals rendering them more vulnerable to acquire further infections. This research project aims to investigate the pathologic changes in tissues of cetaceans infected by Morbillivirus and identify possible co-infections using immunohistochemical and molecular techniques (PCR) for selected emerging pathogens (i.e. herpesvirus, Brucella spp. and Toxoplasma spp.). The expected results from this research will aid in characterization of morbillivirus disease and co-infections posing an important contribution to the development of the actual post doctoral project. Furthermore, the collaboration with the "Instituto Universitario de Sanidad Animal y Seguridad Alimentaria, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria" will strengthening our extant partnership and will bring about excellent scientific support contributing to our understanding of infectious diseases in cetaceans. (AU)

Scientific publications

(8)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

GROCH, KATIA REGINA; DIAZ-DELGADO, JOSUE; MARCONDES, MILTON C. C.; COLOSIO, ADRIANA CASTALDO; SANTOS-NETO, ELITIERI B.; CARVALHO, VITOR LUZ; BOOS, GISELA SILVA; OLIVEIRA DE MEIRELLES, ANA CAROLINA; DA CUNHA RAMOSE, HERNANI GOMES; GUIMARAES, JULIANA PLACIDO; et al. Pathology and causes of death in stranded humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) from Brazil. PLoS One, v. 13, n. 5, MAY 16 2018. (15/05043-5, 15/00735-6, 12/00021-5, 11/08357-0, 14/24932-2)

GROCH, KATIA R.; DIAZ-DELGADO, JOSUE; SANTOS-NETO, ELITIERI B.; IKEDA, JOANA M. P.; CARVALHO, RAFAEL R.; OLIVEIRA, RAISSA B.; GUARI, EMI B.; FLACH, LEONARDO; SIERRA, EVA; GODINHO, ANA I.; et al. The Pathology of Cetacean Morbillivirus Infection and Comorbidities in Guiana Dolphins During an Unusual Mortality Event (Brazil, 2017-2018). VETERINARY PATHOLOGY, v. 57, n. 6, p. 845-857, NOV 2020. (17/24335-2, 15/05043-5, 15/00735-6, 14/24932-2, 17/02223-8)

DIAZ-DELGADO, JOSUE; GROCH, KATIA R.; SIERRA, EVA; SACCHINI, SIMONA; ZUCCA, DANIELE; QUESADA-CANALES, OSCAR; ARBELO, MANUEL; FERNANDEZ, ANTONIO; SANTOS, ELITIERI; IKEDA, JOANA; et al. Comparative histopathologic and viral immunohistochemical studies on CeMV infection among Western Mediterranean, Northeast-Central, and Southwestern Atlantic cetaceans. PLoS One, v. 14, n. 3, MAR 20 2019. (15/00735-6, 15/05043-5, 17/02223-8, 17/24335-2, 14/24932-2)

GROCH, KATIA R.; BLAZQUEZ, DIANA N. H.; MARCONDES, MILTON C. C.; SANTOS, JOANA; COLOSIO, ADRIANA; DELGADO, JOSUE DIAZ; CATAO-DIAS, JOSE L.. Cetacean morbillivirus in Humpback whales' exhaled breath. TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES, OCT 2020. (19/11053-4, 15/00735-6, 17/02223-8, 15/05043-5)

GROCH, KATIA R.; BLAZQUEZ, DIANA N. H.; MARCONDES, MILTON C. C.; SANTOS, JOANA; COLOSIO, ADRIANA; DELGADO, JOSUE DIAZ; CATAO-DIAS, JOSE L.. Cetacean morbillivirus in Humpback whales' exhaled breath. TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES, v. 68, n. 4, p. 1736-1743, JUL 2021. (15/00735-6, 19/11053-4, 17/02223-8, 15/05043-5)

GROCH, KATIA R.; GROCH, KARINA R.; KOLESNIKOVAS, CRISTIANE K. M.; DE CASTILHO, PEDRO V.; MOREIRA, LUCIANA M. P.; BARROS, CECIL R. M. B.; MORAIS, CAMILA R.; RENAULT-BRAGA, EDUARDO P.; SIERRA, EVA; FERNANDEZ, ANTONIO; et al. Cetacean morbillivirus in Southern Right Whales, Brazil. TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES, v. 66, n. 1, p. 606-610, JAN 2019. (17/02223-8, 15/00735-6, 14/24932-2, 15/05043-5)

DIAZ-DELGADO, J.; GROCH, K. R.; WIEGAND, M. W.; SECCHI, E. R.; RESSIO, R.; NATALIA, F. C. C.; CATAO-DIAS, J. L.. Choroid Plexus Cyst in a Neonatal Burmeister's Porpoise (Phocoena spinipinnis). Journal of Comparative Pathology, v. 157, n. 1, p. 51-56, JUL 2017. (14/24932-2, 15/00735-6, 15/05043-5)

GROCH, KATIA R.; JERDY, HASSAN; MARCONDES, MILTON C. C.; BARBOSA, LUPERCIO A.; RAMOS, HERNANI G. C.; PAVANELLI, LARISSA; FORNELLS, LUZ ALBA M. G.; SILVA, MARINA B.; SOUZA, GILIANE S.; KANASHIRO, MILTON M.; et al. Cetacean Morbillivirus Infection in a Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) from Brazil. Journal of Comparative Pathology, v. 181, p. 26-32, NOV 2020. (15/00735-6, 15/05043-5, 17/02223-8, 14/24932-2)