RT Journal Article
T1 Herpesvirus surveillance in stranded striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) and bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from Italy with emphasis on neuropathological characterization
A1 Vargas Castro, Ignacio
A1 Giorda, Federica
A1 Mattioda, Virginia
A1 Goria, Maria
A1 Serracca, Laura
A1 Varello, Katia
A1 Carta, Valerio
A1 Nodari, Sabrina
A1 Maniaci, Maria Grazia
A1 Dell’Atti, Luana
A1 Testori, Camilla
A1 Pussini, Nicola
A1 Iulini, Barbara
A1 Battistini, Roberta
A1 Zoppi, Simona
A1 Di Nocera, Fabio
A1 Lucifora, Giuseppe
A1 Fontanesi, Elena
A1 Acutis, Pier Luigi
A1 Casalone, Cristina
A1 Grattarola, Carla
A1 Peletto, Simone
A2 Tzen-Yuh Chiang, 
AB Herpesvirus (HV) is widely distributed among cetacean populations, with the highest prevalence reported in the Mediterranean Sea. In this study, a comprehensive analysis was conducted, including epidemiological, phylogenetic, and pathological aspects, with particular emphasis on neuropathology, to better understand the impact of HV in these animals. Our results show a higher presence of HV in males compared to females, with males exhibiting a greater number of positive tissues. Additionally, adults were more frequently affected by HV infection than juveniles, with no infections detected in calves or neonates. The affected species were striped (Stenella coeruleoalba) and bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). The highest positivity rates were observed in the genital system, cerebrum, and skin tissues.Phylogenetic analysis indicated a higher occurrence of Gammaherpesvirus (GHV) sequences but increased genetic diversity within Alphaherpesvirus (AHV). Key neuropathological features included astro-microgliosis (n = 4) and meningitis with minimal to mild perivascular cuffing (n = 2). The presence of concurrent infections with other pathogens, particularly cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV), underscores the complex nature of infectious diseases in cetaceans. However, the presence of lesions at the Central Nervous System (CNS) with molecular positivity for GHV, excluding the involvement of other potential neurotropic agents, would confirm the potential of this HV subfamily to induce neurological damage. Pathological examination identified lesions in other organs that could potentially be associated with HV, characterized by lymphoid depletion and tissue inflammation. These findings enhance our understanding of HV in odontocetes and highlight the need for ongoing research into the factors driving these infections and their broader implications
PB San Francisco CA: Biblioteca Pública de Ciencias
SN 1932-6203
YR 2024
FD 2024-10-23
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/110264
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/110264
LA eng
NO Vargas-Castro, I., Giorda, F., Mattioda, V., Goria, M., Serracca, L., Varello, K., Carta, V., Nodari, S., Maniaci, M. G., Dell'Atti, L., Testori, C., Pussini, N., Iulini, B., Battistini, R., Zoppi, S., Nocera, F. D., Lucifora, G., Fontanesi, E., Acutis, P., Casalone, C., … Peletto, S. (2024). Herpesvirus surveillance in stranded striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) and bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from Italy with emphasis on neuropathological characterization. PloS one, 19(10), e0311767. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0311767
NO Data Availability Statement: DNA sequences have been deposited in GenBank (accession numbers: PP505967-PP505985).Funding: This study was funded by the Italian Ministry of Health (Ricerca Corrente 2020 IZS PLV06/20). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
NO Italian Ministry of Health
DS Docta Complutense
RD 20 ene 2026