Bailee Bradfield
Biology Lab 1615
GENITAL HERPESVIRUS IN BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS (TURSIOPS TRUNCATUS):
CULTIVATION, EPIDEMIOLOGY, AND ASSOCIATED PATHOLOGY
The scientist studied the pathology, epidemiology, and clinical significance of genital
herpes virus infection in a zoo of bottlenose dolphins. Some samples were taken from various
dolphins from their genital mucosa in males and females. The dolphins were held in two marine
mammal parks, one park in the Netherlands and the other park in France. The marine mammal
park in the Netherlands consisted of two basins with volumes of 4 and 12 million liters and that
in France of one basin with a volume of 4 million liters. These were filled with either fresh water
supplemented with sodium chloride or with artificial seawater. Water was sand filtered and either
chlorinated or disinfected using ultraviolet light. The dolphins were fed on different species of
thawed frozen fish and squid, supplemented with vitamin B and E. All dolphins were under close
daily supervision during training by experienced staff, and they were inspected at least once per
week by a registered veterinarian. There was about 521 samples that were taken from the males
and about 515 samples that were taken from the females and they were each tested by a
polymerase chain reaction (PCR) which helped the scientist aim towards the DNA of the herpes
virus.
The infection was expressively connected with the manifestation of the mucosal plaques
on the penis of the males (53) or the vulva on the females (54). There were biopsies taken from
the plaques that showed epithelial hyperplasia which contained and tested positive for the herpes
virus by PCR. Macroscopic lesions were observed in the penile mucosa of three of 13 male
dolphins and in the vulva mucosa of four of 15 female dolphins. These lesions were single or
multiple plaques that were pale yellow to white, with an irregular shape, a smooth surface, and
raised 1–7 mm (males) or 1–4 mm (females) above the surrounding mucosa. The plaques ranged
in diameter from 5 mm to 50 mm in males and 5 mm to 20 mm in females. In 27 of 28 dolphins,
the presence of a macroscopically visible genital lesion was associated with positive herpes.
The herpes virus was cultivated from the plaques and all the samples were identified as a
member of the Gammaherpesvirinae by a DNA analysis. They then used the herpes virus
(TTHV) from the bottlenose dolphins to advance an enzyme-linked immunosorbent to help them
examine for anti-TTHV antibodies in the dolphins. From all the samples that were taken and
tested the percentage from the positive samples were higher in adults (20/21, 95%) then in the
younger ones (7/15, 47%). When the antibody developed and became detectable in the blood
stream of the dolphins occurred around the ages of the beginning of sexual behavior.
The herpes virus was found to be more related to abortion, perinatal mortality, and
urogenital neoplasia in other types of species, the scientist found no evidence of the herpes virus
infection by PCR in the tissues from many cases of abortion and perinatal mortality. They also
found no diagnoses of urogenital tumors in the bottlenose dolphins.
Their report was the first successful experiment from the bottlenose dolphins of the
herpes virus that caused the benign genital plaques that were transmitted through some for or
sexual contact. The epithelial herpes virus infections are thus commonly accompanied by
elimination of the epithelium, necrosis, and ulceration and were tested positive in the dolphins.
Works Cited
Cornelis E. van Elk, Marco W. G. van de Bildt, Antonius A. W. de Jong, Albert D. M. E. Osterhaus and
Thijs Kuiken Journal of Wildlife Diseases Oct 2009, Vol. 45, No. 4 (October 2009) pp. 895-906