International Collaboration in Marine Mammal Disease Research

1. Development of International Collaboration in Infectious Disease Research “Marine Mammal Disease Investigation in Canada” Ole Nielsen, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada

2. AKNOWLEDGMENTS • THANKS! • Dr. Sandakhchiev and the organizing committee for inviting me • CRDF for covering the travel costs

3. Vision Statement • “Safe, healthy productive waters and aquatic ecosystems, for the benefit of present and future generations, by maintaining the highest possible standards of service to Canadians”

4. Central and Arctic Region

5. Marine Mammal Sampling Programs • Scientific collection of hunter killed animals (stock identity, contaminants, productivity, and disease surveillance) • Abnormal/Diseased/Stranding Investigation Program

6. Why Study Marine Mammal Diseases? • Seal and cetacean epizootics world wide (Phocine Distemper in Europe in 1988, 02, Caspian and Lake Baikal epizootics) • Zoonotic threat (Inuit, commercial sealers) • Threat to “Endangered Species” • Unknown threat to Canadian livestock industry (Influenza A?)

9. Legislative Mandates • Species at Risk Act (2002) – Protection of Endangered species (Biodiversity) • Oceans Act (1996) – Marine Environmental Quality Programs (Community Based Sampling) • Fisheries Act (2004) –Regulates Fishing and Sealing Activities as well as supports basic science • ISTC Canada (2004) – Supports Russia - Canada scientific cooperation. $18 million available/year.

10. RESULTS - Distemper • Phocine Distemper Virus (PDV) antibodies present in all species of seals in Canada (enzootic) – mortality is low but viruses have not been isolated • In contrast, Europe, Caspian and Lake Baikal the epizootics are periodic, mortality is high (viruses have been isolated)

11. More Distemper…. • Distemper is also a problem in cetaceans • Populations of dolphins in Black Sea, USA and North Sea have been affected • No evidence of antibodies (exposure) in narwhal and beluga in arctic Canada – are they at risk for epizootic? • Alternative hosts? Carrier states?

12. Russian Research – VECTOR • Centered on Lake Baikal and Caspian seals – virus responsible CDV • “Alternative hosts” have been proposed mollusks and even fish species (PCR, serology, and direct virus isolation) • Theory is not believed in the “West”! • Controversy must be resolved

13. Results - Influenza A in Marine Mammals • Sporadic serological evidence of exposure in beluga and ringed seals – virus(es) not isolated • Risk of epizootic low is thought to be low??? • Zoonotic risk is unknown • Threat to livestock? Need for surveillance

14. OPPORTUNITY FOR COLLABORATION • Influenza strains isolated from Russian seals • Canadian Food Inspection Agency will be surveying Canadian wildlife (including birds and marine mammals) for influenza • Heightened awareness of flu in Canada

15. Brucellosis in Marine Mammals • Found in USA and Britain in 1995 • C-ELISA evidence of exposure in Canadian marine mammals (worldwide problem) • Isolations made from beluga and seals • Zoonotic risk??? (Inuit and lab workers?) • Human cases have been reported

16. Brucellosis – Threat to Biodiversity • Increasingly associated with cetacean strandings/death (meningioencephalitis) • Most Canadian killer whales are seropositive/infected • Reproductive lesionsfound in normal beluga and narwhal • Contributing to population decline

19. Biosafety Concerns • Both Brucella and influenza require level 3 containment – not enough facilities in Canada to look at wildlife • Shipping infected tissues also becoming difficult – costs increasing…. • Shipping ‘diagnostic’ samples to Russia is impossible! Can this be remedied?

20. NEXT STEPS….. • Pursue opportunities for collaborative research between VECTOR, DFO, CFIA, and Health Canada personnel • ISTC Canada has shown considerable interest in supporting a relationship with VECTOR with regards to biological weapons threat reduction • Proposals?