The National Marine Life Center » parasites http://nmlc.org Caring for Stranded Marine Animals Sun, 05 Sep 2010 19:58:49 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Parasites are for lovers http://nmlc.org/2010/04/parasites-are-for-lovers/ http://nmlc.org/2010/04/parasites-are-for-lovers/#comments Tue, 27 Apr 2010 20:17:10 +0000 Sea Rogers Williams http://nmlc.org/?p=4775 Our friends at the Virginia Aquarium Stranding Response Program brought some parasites from cases of stranded sea turtles, dolphins, porpoises, and seals from Virginia to the National Stranding Conference.  These samples were examined at the National Marine Life Center by Dr. Williams who prepared case studies of these parasites that ranged from incidental findings like a few seal lice to serious lung-worm infection in a harbor porpoise.

a louse still clings to fur, this sample was collected from a harbor seal

a louse still clings to fur, this sample was collected from a harbor seal

]]> http://nmlc.org/2010/04/parasites-are-for-lovers/feed/ 0 Where in the World: Shepherdstown, WV http://nmlc.org/2010/04/where-in-the-world-shepherdstown-wv/ http://nmlc.org/2010/04/where-in-the-world-shepherdstown-wv/#comments Thu, 15 Apr 2010 14:11:19 +0000 Sea Rogers Williams http://nmlc.org/?p=4675 Dr. Williams traveled to the National Marine Animal Stranding Conference in West Virgina along with Kathy, Brian, and over 200 national and international experts involved in marine animal stranding response.  Dr. Williams taught a laboratory session on parasites in marine animals, presenting findings of middle ear disease in seals, and introduced three posters: common parasites of sea turtles, seals, and cetaceans.

Topics ranged from advanced diagnostic techniques, a veterinary continuing education session, and the concepts of One Health, and global surveillance through the use of marine animals.

Dr. Williams addresses the main auditorium

Dr. Williams addresses the main auditorium

Dr. Dunnigan and David Schofield of NOAA examine the posters

Dr. Dunnigan and David Schofield of NOAA examine the posters

]]> http://nmlc.org/2010/04/where-in-the-world-shepherdstown-wv/feed/ 0 Whale of Good Time http://nmlc.org/2009/11/whale-of-good-time/ http://nmlc.org/2009/11/whale-of-good-time/#comments Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:55:36 +0000 Sea Rogers Williams http://nmlc.org/?p=3708 Bolbosoma turbinella Williams small

…at least for the parasites, thanks to Suzanne Thurman for sending along samples of the acanthocephalan parasite Bolbosoma turbinella from a Sei Whale stranded which stranded Delaware.   This parasite is known from several baleen whales (the big ones), including the humpback, blue (the largest whale), and northern right whale (one of the most endangered whales).  While it may not have caused the stranding the heavy burden would have some effect on the whale.Bolbosoma turbinella small Our lab focuses an parasites and parasitic diseases of stranded marine mammals and sea turtles.

]]> http://nmlc.org/2009/11/whale-of-good-time/feed/ 0 Join us for Spooooky Splash http://nmlc.org/2009/10/join-us-for-spooooky-splash/ http://nmlc.org/2009/10/join-us-for-spooooky-splash/#comments Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:22:12 +0000 Kathy Zagzebski http://nmlc.org/?p=3226 It’s a ghost….  No, it’s a ghoul….  No, it’s a – it’s a – MARINE ANIMAL PARASITE!!!  EEEEEEK!  (Insert blood-curdling scream!)DSCN0034

Join us this Saturday for a splashingly spooky Halloween Open House.

We’ll have arts and crafts, games and ghouls.  You can make your very own seal or sea turtle trick-or-treat bag and decorate a pumpkin to take home with you.  Be sure to come in costume – prizes will be given to the spookiest, the splashy-est, and the most creative.

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Tours of our new marine animal hospital will be available.

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Suggested donation $5/person for non-members, free for members.  Donations will help us open our doors and care for sea turtles this fall.

]]> http://nmlc.org/2009/10/join-us-for-spooooky-splash/feed/ 1 In Search of a New Host http://nmlc.org/2009/07/in-search-of-a-new-host/ http://nmlc.org/2009/07/in-search-of-a-new-host/#comments Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:05:32 +0000 Sea Rogers Williams http://nmlc.org/?p=2400 As part of our on-going studies of the endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle and our quest to understand the events that surround the cold-stun phenomenon that results with the stranding and death of tens to hundreds of turtles each year on Cape Cod we are studing the parasites collected from Kemp’s Ridley turtles that have died of this condition.  Little is know of the role parasites play in the stranding and disease of the Kemp’s ridley so every new finding must be followed to see if we can discover its significance.  One such parasite appears to be very similar and perhaps identical to Orchidasma amphiorchis which we have also found in loggerhead sea turtles stranded on Cape Cod.

A new anatomic drawing and description of Orchidasma amphiorchis from the loggerhead sea turtle will help us identify the unknown parasites from the Kemp’s ridley which is previously not know to host this species.  Additional studies are on-going.

orchidasma-amphiorchis-small

]]> http://nmlc.org/2009/07/in-search-of-a-new-host/feed/ 0 Pathology and Parasitology http://nmlc.org/2009/07/pathology-and-parasitology/ http://nmlc.org/2009/07/pathology-and-parasitology/#comments Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:52:59 +0000 Sea Rogers Williams http://nmlc.org/?p=2395 As part of our on-going studies of the endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle and our quest to understand the events that surround the cold-stun phenomenon that results with the stranding and death of tens to hundreds of turtles each year on Cape Cod,  we are pleased to announce the publication of paper that describes the pathology and parasitology of these animals in conjunction with NOAA Fisheries, the New England Aquarium, and the University of Connecticut.

PATHOLOGIC AND PARASITOLOGIC FINDINGS OF COLD-STUNNED
KEMP’S RIDLEY SEA TURTLES (LEPIDOCHELYS KEMPII) STRANDED
ON CAPE COD, MASSACHUSETTS, 2001–2006
Charles Innis,1,7 Akinyi C. Nyaoke,1,2 C. Rogers Williams III,3,4 Bridget Dunnigan,3,5
Constance Merigo,1 Denise L. Woodward,2 E. Scott Weber,1,6 and Salvatore Frasca, Jr.2

Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 45(3), 2009, pp. 594–610
# Wildlife Disease Association 2009

Tentacularia coryphaenae

]]> http://nmlc.org/2009/07/pathology-and-parasitology/feed/ 0 New Parasite from Kemp’s Ridley http://nmlc.org/2009/04/new-parasite-from-kemps-ridley/ http://nmlc.org/2009/04/new-parasite-from-kemps-ridley/#comments Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:26:31 +0000 Sea Rogers Williams http://nmlc.org/?p=740 The loss of Caveman, a Kemp’s ridley sea turtle that died of sepsis and pneumonia following a cold-stun event last fall, was difficult for the entire staff, but we are continuing to learn about Kemp’s ridley sea turtles and issues that effect their health and natural history.  During the necropsy (animal autopsy) we found an Acanthlocephalin parasite attached to muscles outside of the body cavity which has tentatively been identified as Bolbosoma vasculosum.

Not only would this be a new parasite-host relationship, but the first report of any acanthlocephalin from Kemp’s.  Further work is being done to characterize the parasite.

Parasite found from a Kemp's ridley sea turtle

Parasite found from a Kemp's ridley sea turtle

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