Madhavi Bhatia, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Guwahati
Morbillivirus belongs to the virus family Paramyxoviridae. It is a group of enveloped viruses with a non-segmented, negative-strand of RNA genomes. The viruses are highly infectious, spread via the respiratory route, cause profound immune suppression, and have a high tendency to cause large outbreaks. The outbreaks are associated with higher morbidity and mortality in previously unexposed populations. In humans, morbillivirus is found to cause measles and smallpox.
Morbillivirus strains in dolphins and whales:
Phocine distemper virus (PDV) and Cetacean morbilliviruses (CeMV) , two phylogenetically distinct morbilliviruses, are deadly marine mammal viruses that have been detected in Fraser’s dolphin in Hawaii. The virus is usually transmitted by inhaling respiratory particulates or by direct contact between animals, including mothers and calves. The strains of morbillivirus that infect the dolphins as well as the whales, are found to be highly contagious and have the capability to result in debilitation, severe pneumonia, as well as inflammation of the brain (encephalitis). The virus is found around the whole world, but it is most prevalent in the Atlantic Ocean. The most organs affected are the lungs and brain, and the infected animal appears thin. A necropsy (animal autopsy) of the dolphin was performed by the West and his colleagues. The lungs had a mottled surface along with areas of consolidation of about 1-2 cm in diameter. Areas of consolidation in the lungs appeared as dark red to tan firm tissue around small bronchi in cross-section. The left lung’s marginal lymph node was enlarged and also had an irregular surface. The trachea and main bronchi showed some amount of red-tinged foam. After examination of tissue samples of dolphins, the cause of death might be due to neurologic and hepatic dysfunction. It was also discovered that the morbillivirus can be a significant threat to other marine animals too since Fraser’s dolphins are highly social. Thus, they interact closely with the dolphins and whales that are present in the Hawaiian waters. The Hawaiian waters are home to about 20 different species that may also be vulnerable to an outbreak from the morbillivirus. If morbillivirus spread throughout the population, it may be an extinction threat. Some of the Hawaiian dolphins and whales may have developed acquired immunity to the morbillivirus by previous exposure, but it can be confirmed only by antibody testing. According to NOAA (National oceanic and atmospheric administration), 5 strains of morbillivirus have been detected in the United States, it includes canine distemper virus(CDV), and PDV found in seals and sea otters, others are dolphin morbillivirus(DMV), pilot whale morbillivirus(PWMV), and Longman’s beaked whale morbillivirus.
Conclusion:
Morbillivirus acts as a marine mammal virus that affects mainly dolphins and whales and might lead to their extinction. Their transmission or circulation in the population can be determined by antibody testing of Hawaiian dolphins and whales. But, these marine animals cannot transmit the virus to humans.
Also read: aDDA: High-Coverage Genome Sequencing method
References:
- de Vries, R. D., Duprex, W. P., & de Swart, R. L. (2015). Morbillivirus infections: An introduction. Viruses, 7(2), 699–706. https://doi.org/10.3390/v7020699
- Liberatore, S. (2021, August 10). Deadly virus detected in Hawaii’s dolphins could lead to an outbreak. Mail Online. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-9880017/Deadly-virus-detected-Hawaiis-dolphins-lead-worldwide-outbreak.html
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About the author– Madhavi Bhatia is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology from NIPER, Guwahati. Her area of interest lies in understanding the role of gene mutation in the development of various diseases and developing a treatment for such diseases.
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