Development of International Collaboration in Infectious Disease Research

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Development of International Collaboration in
Infectious Disease Research

• Marine Mammal Disease Investigation in Canada
• Ole Nielsen, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
  Canada

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AKNOWLEDGMENTS

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

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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

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Central and Arctic Region
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Marine Mammal Sampling Programs

• Scientific collection of hunter killed animals
  (stock identity, contaminants, productivity, and
  disease surveillance)
• Abnormal/Diseased/Stranding Investigation Program

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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?)

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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.

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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)

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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?

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Brucellosis Threat to Biodiversity

• Increasingly associated with cetacean
  strandings/death (meningioencephalitis)
• Most Canadian killer whales are
  seropositive/infected
• Reproductive lesions found in normal beluga and
  narwhal
• Contributing to population decline

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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?

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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?

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