Epidemiology of a Phocine Distemper Virus Outbreak Along the North Atlantic Coast of the United States
- Infectious disease
Abstract
Due to an increase in pinniped strandings with consistent pathological findings throughout the North Atlantic coast of the United States during the summer and fall of 2006, an unusual mortality event (UME) was declared by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) on 20 October 2006. The goals of this investigation were to describe the magnitude and duration of the peak in mortalities involved in the UME and to evaluate associations with potential causative agents. Seal strandings during the UME were compared to historical strandings in the area to characterize the epidemiologic patterns of the UME. Temporal increases in phocine distemper virus (PDV) prevalence as detected by serology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were significantly correlated with increased seal stranding frequency. During July to October 2006, there was a significant spatial and temporal cluster of PDV positive seals centered near Cape Ann, Massachusetts. Our findings provide evidence that PDV infections increased in harbor seals along the North Atlantic coast of the U.S. in 2006, and PDV likely played a role in a UME that involved harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), harp seals Phoca groenlandica), hooded seals (Cystophora cristata), and gray seals (Halichoerus grypus).
Siembieda, J.L., Hall, A.J., Gulland, F.M.D., Rowles, T., Garron, M., Matassa, K., Rotstein, D.S., Gonzalez, S., Northeast Region Marine Mammal Stranding Network, Johnson, C.K. 2017. Epidemiology of a phocine distemper virus outbreak along the North Atlantic Coast of the United States. Aquatic Animals. 43(3): 254-263.
Related Publications
{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/Other species\/nz-sea-lion-shutterstock.jpg","alt":"New Zealand sea lion","title":"Causes of Death in Two Populations of New Zealand Sea Lions","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/causes-of-death-in-two-populations-of-new-zealand-sea-lions","label":"Research Paper"}
{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/California sea lions\/csl-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-6.jpg","alt":"California sea lions","title":"Zoonotic Bacteria Persistence and Susceptibility","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/zoonotic-bacteria-persistence-and-susceptibility","label":"Research Paper"}
{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/California sea lions\/cropped-images\/csl-photo-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-1-0-0-2358-1722-1600891644.jpg","alt":"California sea lions","title":"Emerging Viruses in Marine Mammals","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/emerging-viruses-in-marine-mammals","label":"Research Paper"}
{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/California sea lions\/csl-photo-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-12.jpg","alt":"two California sea lions","title":"Multi-Phase Muscle Breakdown in California Sea Lions","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/multi-phase-muscle-breakdown-in-california-sea-lions","label":"Research Paper"}
Recent News
{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/Hawaiian monk seal\/cropped-images\/hms-wild-photo-1-c-noaa-pifsc-hmsrp-35-0-1270-992-1759760452.jpg","alt":"A Hawaiian monk seal rests on its side on a sandy beach.","title":"Where Do Hawaiian Monk Seals Live? And Other \u2018\u012alio Holo I Ka Uaua Trivia","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/where-do-hawaiian-monk-seals-live-and-other-ilio-holo-i-ka-uaua-trivia","label":"News Update","date":"2025-10-06 00:00:00"}
Where Do Hawaiian Monk Seals Live? And Other ‘Īlio Holo I Ka Uaua Trivia
October 6, 2025
Read More{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/California sea lions\/2025\/cropped-images\/dottie-csl-photo-by-bill-hunnewell-218-0-1270-992-1759777087.jpg","alt":"California sea lion","title":"LA Times: Marine mammals are dying in record numbers along the California coast","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/la-times-marine-mammals-are-dying-in-record-numbers-along-the-california-coast","label":"In the News","date":"2025-10-03 02:00:00"}
LA Times: Marine mammals are dying in record numbers along the California coast
October 3, 2025
Read More{"image":"\/People\/Action\/Veterinary care\/cropped-images\/dane-whitaker-and-emily-whitmer-vaccine-trial-by-bill-hunnewell-49-0-1270-992-1757364612.jpg","alt":"Two veterinarians collect a blood sample from an elephant seal in a rehabilitation pen.","title":"Bird Flu Vaccine Trial May Offer Hope for Protecting Hawaiian Monk Seals","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/bird-flu-vaccine-trial-may-offer-hope-for-protecting-hawaiian-monk-seals","label":"News Update","date":"2025-09-09 09:13:00"}
Bird Flu Vaccine Trial May Offer Hope for Protecting Hawaiian Monk Seals
September 9, 2025
Read More{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/Elephant seals\/2025\/cropped-images\/es-vaccine-trial-satellite-tag-by-bill-hunnewell-218-0-1270-992-1757432410.jpg","alt":"Northern elephant seal","title":"The New York Times: Scientists Begin Testing Bird Flu Vaccine in Seals","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/the-new-york-times-scientists-begin-testing-bird-flu-vaccine-in-seals","label":"In the News","date":"2025-09-09 02:00:00"}
The New York Times: Scientists Begin Testing Bird Flu Vaccine in Seals
September 9, 2025
Read More