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Lanyon, Janet M.; Wong, Arthur; Long, Trevor; Woolford, Lucy
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2015 |
Serum biochemistry reference intervals of live wild dugongs (Dugong dugon) from urban coastal Australia.
Veterinary Clinical Pathology DOI: 10.1111/vcp.12249. Publ. online April 3, 2015.
–ABSTRACT: Background: Little is known about the baseline clinical pathology of the dugong (Dugong dugon), a vulnerable marine mammal found in tropical coastal marine systems. Objectives: The purpose of the study was to collect and determine reference intervals (RI) for select serum biochemical variables for dugongs, and to analyze differences between males and females and different age groups. Methods: Reference intervals were established from 103 apparently healthy, wild-caught dugongs for 31 analytes using a Beckman Coulter AU400 Automated Chemistry Analyzer and an Olympus AU680 Chemistry-Immuno Analyzer. Results: Significant differences (P<.05) in some of the variables were found related to size class, sex, and pregnancy status. Adult dugongs had higher serum sodium, potassium, bicarbonate, glucose, and l-lactate concentrations and higher anion gap, compared to sub-adults. Male dugongs had higher triglyceride and l-lactate concentrations than females. Pregnant females displayed higher l-lactate levels compared to nonpregnant animals. Statistical differences in variables within the population contributed to better understanding of the physiologic differences between cohorts. Some serum biochemistry changes observed in this study here also potentially include some effects of pursuit on dugongs (e.g., higher l-lactate); however, as all dugongs were subject to similar capture and handling, serum biochemistry RI should be considered as normal for captured dugongs. Conclusions: The serum biochemical RI documented here are considered representative of a population of healthy captured dugongs. They provide a baseline for health surveillance of this and other dugong populations.
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Woolford, Lucy; Franklin, C.; Whap, T.; Loban, F.; Lanyon, Janet M.
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2015 |
Pathological findings in wild harvested dugongs Dugong dugon of central Torres Strait, Australia.
Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 113(2): 89-102. 2 tabs. 9 figs. DOI: 10.3354/dao02825. Mar. 9, 2015.
–ABSTRACT: The dugong Dugong dugon is classified as Vulnerable to extinction but may be endangered in some regions. Cause of death in stranded dugongs has not been determined in a large proportion of animals examined, with investigations hindered by limited information on dugong health and diseases, and paucity of knowledge of common or endemic pathological findings. Here we describe pathological findings in harvested dugongs from the relatively pristine area of central Torres Strait, and we characterise lesions attributable to drowning. Other recorded lesions were mild and predominated by host reaction to the presence of trematodes within the gastrointestinal tracts, liver and pancreas. Ascarid worm burdens were low in comparison to dugongs from developed coastlines. Hepatocellular lipofuscin and ferritin pigmentation were commonly observed, more pronounced in livers of older animals and concurrent with periportal and bridging fibrosis. Lesions attributable to drowning included incomplete collapse of lungs, dorsal or diffuse pulmonary congestion, mild intra-alveolar haemorrhage and oedema, mild interstitial oedema and rupture of peripheral alveolar septae with acute myofibre fragmentation and degeneration. No accumulation of foam or aspiration of water or particulate matter was observed, suggesting that dugongs 'dry drown'. Morphometric features of normal spleen are also presented. Characterisation of common pathological findings and those attributable to drowning in this species will aid in the interpretation of post mortem findings for the significant number of dugongs found deceased along urbanised coastlines.
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Woolford, Lucy; Wong, Arthur; Sneath, Helen L.; Long, Trevor; Boyd, Susan P.; Lanyon, Janet M.
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2015 |
Hematology of dugongs (Dugong dugon) in southern Queensland.
Veterinary Clinical Pathology 44(4): 530–541. 6 tabs. 4 figs. DOI: 10.1111/vcp.12305. Dec. 2015.
–ABSTRACT: Background- Little is known of the hematology of the dugong (Dugong dugon), a secretive and endangered coastal marine mammal.
Objectives- This paper reports hematologic reference intervals (RI) for dugongs and characterizes morphologic, cytochemical, and ultrastructural features of dugong leukocytes.
Methods- Blood was collected from live, apparently healthy dugongs and analyzed using Cell-Dyn 3700 or Sysmex XT-2000iV hematology analyzers. Blood films were subjected to a series of cytochemical stains, and leukocyte structure was examined using transmission electron microscopy.
Results- Reference intervals were established for 14 hematologic variables, total solids, and fibrinogen for 92 dugongs. Significant differences in some variables were found for animal size class, sex, and pregnancy status, and between analyzers. Subadults had higher leukocyte and lymphocyte counts than adults. Males had higher total solids and fibrinogen than females. Pregnant females had higher HCT, MCV, and circulating nucleated RBC, and lower platelet counts than nonpregnant females. Lymphocytes were usually the predominant circulating leukocyte. Heterophil cytoplasmic granules were abundant, fine, round to ovoid, and intensely eosinophilic, and round to ovoid or rod-shaped, and variably electron dense in electron microscopy. Eosinophils contained larger round eosinophilic to orange cytoplasmic granules, which ultrastructurally were bicompartmental with a round eccentric electron-dense core. Cytochemical staining of dugong heterophils suggests biochemical similarity to those of manatees and elephants, and for eosinophils, similarity to those of elephants, ruminants, and equids.
Conclusions- Generation of hematologic RI and characterization of leukocyte morphology improves evaluation of dugong health across this population and serves as a reference for other populations outside southern Queensland.
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Wong, Arthur; Lanyon, Janet M.; McKee, Sara J.; Linedale, Richard; Woolford, Lucy; Long, Trevor; Leggatt, Graham R.
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2018 |
Development of a polyclonal anti-dugong immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody with evaluation of total plasma IgG in a living dugong (Dugong dugon) population.
Veterinary Immunology & Immunopathology 200: 16-25. 2 tabs. 4 figs. DOI: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2018.04.003 Apr. 8, 2018.
–ABSTRACT: Species-specific antibodies (Ab) for the measurement of immunoglobulins (Ig) are valuable tools for determining the humoral immune status of threatened and endangered wildlife species such as dugongs. However, no studies have reported antibody reagents against dugong immunoglobulin. The object of this study was to develop an Ab with specificity for dugong IgG and apply this tool to survey total IgG levels in plasma samples from a live wild population of dugongs in southern Queensland, Australia. Dugong IgG was isolated from plasma by protein A/G column chromatography and a polyclonal antiserum was successfully raised against the dugong IgG through immunization of mice. The anti-dugong antiserum was reactive with dugong serum but not immunoglobulin from other species such as rats and humans. When tested against a panel of dugong plasma samples, relative IgG levels from dugongs (n?=?116) showed biologically relevant relationships with pregnancy status and a principal component of Body Mass Index (BMI)/globulin/fecal glucocorticosteroid (chronic stress) levels combined, which together accounted for 9.2% of the variation in total Ig levels. Together these data suggest that dugongs show variation in total IgG and that this correlates with some physiological parameters of dugong health.
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Wong, Arthur; Lanyon, Janet M.; O'Handley, Ryan; Linedale, Richard; Woolford, Lucy; Long, Trevor; Leggatt, Graham R.
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2019 |
Serum antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in southeast Queensland dugongs.
Mar. Mamm. Sci. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12629. Jan. 2020; publ. online June 24, 2019.
–ABSTRACT: The dugong (Dugong dugon) is an herbivorous marine mammal that inhabits tropical inshore waters and thus may be vulnerable to pollutants and terrestrial pathogens as a result of coastal runoff. In this study, serum samples collected from live, wild dugongs (n = 114) in an embayment located on the urbanized southeast Queensland coast of Australia during 2008–2014, were measured for IgG antibody levels specific to Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum. An ELISA used to measure T. gondii tachyzoite antibodies indicated a non-Gaussian distribution of antibody level, with five dugongs identified as high outliers. Mean levels of antibodies specific for T. gondii in dugongs sampled in 2014 were significantly higher than in 2010 (p=.006) and 2011 (p=.009) with an elevation in mean antibody levels after a major 2011 flood event relative to antibody levels prior to the flood (p<.0001). A competitive ELISA to detect N. caninum antibody indicated a normal distribution of antibody with no high outliers. Mean antibody level for N. caninum was highest in 2012 and declined significantly in 2014 (p=.004). This is the first survey of antibodies directed against T. gondii and N. caninum in dugongs and suggests future health monitoring of this species.
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Bibliography and Index of the Sirenia and Desmostylia 