
Domoic Acid in Fetal Fluids of California Sea Lions
- Domoic acid
Abstract
Domoic acid (DA) is a neuroexcitotoxic amino acid that is naturally produced by some species of marine diatoms during harmful algal blooms (HABs). The toxin is transferred through the food web from plantivorous fish and shellfish to marine mammals resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Due to the timing and location of DA producing HABs, it is well documented that pregnant female California sea lions (CSL) are regularly exposed to DA through their diet thereby posing exposure risks to a neuroteratogen in developing fetuses. In the present study, fluids from 36 fetuses sampled from naturally exposed pregnant CSLs were examined for DA. Domoic acid was detected in 79% of amniotic fluid (n = 24), 67% of allantoic fluid (n = 9), 75% of urine (n = 4), 41% of meconium (n = 17) and 29% of stomach content (n = 21) samples opportunistically collected from CSL fetuses. The distribution of DA in fetal samples indicates an increased prenatal exposure risk due to recirculation of DA in fetal fluids and continuous exposure to the developing brain.
Lefebvre, K.A., Hendrix, A., Halaska, B., Duignan, P., Shum, S., Isoherranen, N., Marcinek, D.J. and Gulland, F.M., 2018. Domoic acid in California sea lion fetal fluids indicates continuous exposure to a neuroteratogen poses risks to mammals. Harmful Algae 79:53-57.
Pádraig Duignan
Barbie Halaska
Meet The Experts
{"image":"\/People\/Portrait\/barbie-halaska-by-elena-graham-c-the-marine-mammal-center.jpg","alt":"Barbie Halaska","title":"Barbie Halaska","text":"Necropsy Manager","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/person\/barbie-halaska","link_text":"Read Bio"}

Related Publications
{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/California sea lions\/2020\/csl-oso-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-1.jpg","alt":"California sea lion","title":"Loss of Neuron Connectors in the Brains of Sea Lions with Epilepsy","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/loss-of-neuron-connectors-in-the-brains-of-sea-lions-with-epilepsy","label":"Research Paper"}

{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/California sea lions\/cropped-images\/csl-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-2-0-1031-1794-1401-1603916128.jpg","alt":"California sea lion","title":"Evaluating Sense of Smell in California Sea Lions and Relevance to Domoic Acid","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/evaluating-sense-of-smell-in-california-sea-lions-and-relevance-to-domoic-acid","label":"Research Paper"}

Evaluating Sense of Smell in California Sea Lions and Relevance to Domoic Acid
Read More{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/Steller sea lion\/cropped-images\/steller-sea-lion-harem-shutterstock-648-0-4424-3456-1603916879.jpg","alt":"Group of Steller sea lions","title":"Algal Toxins in Alaskan Marine Mammals Foraging in a Changing Environment","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/algal-toxins-in-alaskan-marine-mammals-foraging-in-a-changing-environment","label":"Research Paper"}

{"image":"\/Places\/Coastal landscapes\/cropped-images\/algal-bloom-washington-state-shutterstock-159-0-3840-3000-1603917390.jpg","alt":"algal bloom off the coast of Washington state","title":"Unprecedented Toxic Algal Bloom Linked to Unusual Ocean Conditions","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/unprecedented-toxic-algal-bloom-linked-to-unusual-ocean-conditions","label":"Research Paper"}

Related News
{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/Releases\/cropped-images\/csl-quly-left-and-togozees-release-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-90-0-3996-3122-1693421090.jpg","alt":"two California sea lions are released in front of a crowd of people","title":"NPR Morning Edition: Hundreds of Seals and Sea Lions Are Treated Each Year at The Marine Mammal Center","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/npr-morning-edition-hundreds-of-seals-and-sea-lions-are-treated-each-year-at-the-marine-mammal-center","label":"In the News","date":"2023-08-18 02:00:00"}

NPR Morning Edition: Hundreds of Seals and Sea Lions Are Treated Each Year at The Marine Mammal Center
August 18, 2023
Read More{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/California sea lions\/2022\/cropped-images\/csl-torple-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-6-10-4475-3495-1664989112.jpg","alt":"California sea lion Torple in a pool with her head in the air","title":"SFGATE: Hundreds of Sea Lions Sickened Along California Coastline","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/sfgate-hundreds-of-sea-lions-sickened-along-california-coastline","label":"In the News","date":"2022-10-05 02:00:00"}

SFGATE: Hundreds of Sea Lions Sickened Along California Coastline
October 5, 2022
Read More{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/California sea lions\/2020\/csl-jenya-release-video-c-the-marine-mammal-center.png","alt":"California sea lion Jenya released back to the wild","title":"California Sea Lion Jenya Returns Home for the Holidays","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/california-sea-lion-jenya-returns-home-for-the-holidays","label":"Press Release","date":"2020-12-28 01:00:00"}

{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/California sea lions\/2020\/cropped-images\/csl-chai-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-0-294-1994-1557-1604428596.jpg","alt":"California sea lion Chai","title":"KAZU: An Annual Sea Lion Sickness Is Linked To Climate Change","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/kazu-an-annual-sea-lion-sickness-is-linked-to-climate-change","label":"In the News","date":"2020-06-23 05:00:00"}
