A rare type of toxoplasma infection poses a danger to marine wildlife. According to a study by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the University of California, Davis, four sea otters that washed ashore in California died from a highly uncommon and severe form of toxoplasmosis. The d
Sea otters swim together in the Pacific Ocean. A deadly, newly detected strain of the parasiteis threatening sea otters, and potentially other species. Credit: Laird Henkel, CDFWAccording to a study by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the
, four sea otters that washed ashore in California died from a highly uncommon and severe form of toxoplasmosis. The disease was caused by the microscopic parasite. Scientists are warning that this rare strain, which has not been previously reported in aquatic animals, could pose a health threat to other marine wildlife and humans., note that toxoplasmosis is a widespread occurrence in sea otters and can be deadly.
“This was a complete surprise,” said senior author Karen Shapiro of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. “The COUG genotype has never before been described in sea otters, nor anywhere in the California coastal environment or in any other aquatic mammal or bird.”All four otters were stranded during periods of high coastal rainfall, which means they may have been exposed toeggs via storm runoff.
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