Dolphin Morbillivirus Associated with a Mass Stranding of Sperm Whales, Italy.

Authors :: Mazzariol S
Centelleghe C
Di Provvido A
Di Renzo L
Cardeti G
Cersini A
Fichi G
Petrella A
Di Francesco CE
Mignone W
Casalone C
Di Guardo G
Source :: Emerging infectious diseases [Emerg Infect Dis] 2017 Jan; Vol. 23 (1), pp. 144-146.
Publication Year :: 2017
Abstract: In September 2014, seven sperm whales were stranded along Italy's Adriatic coastline. Postmortem investigations on 3 female adult whales and 1 male fetus carried by the largest female revealed molecular and immunohistochemical evidence of dolphin morbillivirus infection. A possible role of the virus in the stranding event was considered.