Novel Presentation of Coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever) in a Southern Sea Otter
Novel Presentation of Coccidioidomycosis with Myriad Free-Floating Proteinaceous Spheres in the Pericardial Sac of a Southern Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris nereis)
- Infectious disease
- Climate change
Abstract
A southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) stranded dead in central California, USA, with a distended pericardial sac containing thousands of free-floating proteinaceous masses. Serology, fungal culture, PCR, and sequencing confirmed the etiology of this novel lesion as Coccidioides immitis. Range expansion of this zoonotic pathogen is predicted with climate change.
Harris, H.S., Harris, M.D., Thompson III, G.R., Engelthaler, D.M., Montfort, P.L., Leviner, A.L. and Miller, M.A., 2023. Novel Presentation of Coccidioidomycosis with Myriad Free-Floating Proteinaceous Spheres in the Pericardial Sac of a Southern Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris nereis). Journal of Wildlife Diseases.
climate change
Heather S. Harris
Meet The Experts
{"image":"\/People\/Portrait\/cropped-images\/heather-harris-zoomed-out-1074-522-1419-1108-1701471795.jpg","alt":"Heather Harris","title":"Heather S. Harris","text":"Associate Veterinarian","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/person\/heather-harris","link_text":"Read Bio"}
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\/California sea lion\/cropped-images\/csl-release-4-5-24photo-by-chris-deimler-c-the-marine-mammal-center-138-0-1270-992-1745348188.jpg","alt":"Four young California sea lions walk on the beach toward the ocean.","title":"Achievements in Ocean Health","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/achievements-in-ocean-health","label":"News Update","date":"2025-04-23 10:20:00"}
{"image":"\/Misc\/Graphics\/cropped-images\/climate-change-graphic-giant-earth-shutterstock-1798-6-5113-3994-1680046432.jpg","alt":"An Earth Day graphic of people holding the planet, recycling, planting a tree and moving a solar panel.","title":"5 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/5-ways-to-celebrate-earth-day","label":"News Update","date":"2025-04-18 11:21:08"}
{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/Sea otter\/cropped-images\/sea-otter-mom-pup-photo-c-brian-simuro-505-0-3387-2646-1618247266.jpg","alt":"sea otter mother and pup","title":"Meaningful Mother\u2019s Day Gifts for Ocean Lovers","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/eco-friendly-mothers-day-gifts-that-give-back","label":"News Update","date":"2025-04-10 02:00:00"}
{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/Harbor seal\/cropped-images\/harbor-seals-shutterstock-107-0-1270-992-1744225508.jpg","alt":"A group of harbor seal pups and mothers on the beach during pupping season.","title":"Your Guide to Seeing Harbor Seal Pups in California","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/your-guide-to-seeing-harbor-seal-pups-in-california","label":"News Update","date":"2025-04-10 00:00:00"}
