Confirmed Morbillivirus found in dead dolphins raises concerns that hundreds more animals may be affected within South Australia in coming months.
The first confirmed report of dolphin morbillivirus (DMV) in South Australia!
Independent investigations into recent dolphin deaths performed by AMWRRO and The University of Adelaide’s School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences have identified concurrent dolphin morbillivirus and systemic fungal infection as the cause of death in two juvenile dolphins found deceased along the South Australian coast. Results of these findings have been provided to the recent task force appointed by the State Government to assist in investigation of the cause of other dolphin mortalities.
These two dolphins were recovered from the Adelaide metro coast by AMWRRO and postmortems conducted by veterinary pathologists at The University of Adelaide’s School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at Roseworthy. Virological testing was performed by CSIRO’s Australian Animal Health Laboratory in Geelong
This is the first report of dolphin morbillivirus (DMV) in South Australia!
Morbilliviruses have emerged as potent pathogens of pinnipeds and cetaceans, with four morbilliviruses known to infect various speciesof marine mammals: Phocine distemper virus (PDV), porpoise morbillivirus (PMV), dolphin morbillivirus (DMV), and pilot whale morbillivirus. DMV has been previous implicated in death and morbidity of juvenile dolphins in Queensland, northern NSW and Western Australia. Outside of Australia, morbillivirus have also been implicated in major die-offs among marine mammals.
