Toxoplasma gondii was isolated from brain or heart tissue from 15 southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) in cell cultures. These strains were used to infect mice that developed antibodies to T. gondii as detected in the modified direct agglutination test and had T. gondii tissue cysts in their brains at necropsy. Mouse brains containing tissue cysts from 4 of the strains were fed to 4 cats...

Communication is a process by which a sender produces a signal, which alters the probability of a subsequent behav­ ior in a receiver(s). Often, but not always, communication facilitates social behavior. Given the highly social behavior found in many marine mammals, the study of communicative behavior is essential to understanding the role that signaling plays in regulating social interactions ...

The Southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The population began a pattern of slow decline in 1995. The decline was attributed to high adult mortality rates with infectious disease being the major cause of death. Multiple pathogens were implicated in these deaths including opportunistic pathogens such as Coccidiodes immitis and Toxopl...

The northern sea otter inhabits coastal waters of the northern Pacific Ocean and is the largest member of the Mustelidae family. DNA sequencing methods that utilize microfluidic partitioned and non-partitioned library construction were used to establish the sea otter genome. The final assembly provided 2.426 Gbp of highly contiguous assembled genomic sequences with a scaffold N50 length of over...

PURPOSE. Aim of this study was to analyze relation of occlusal correction and alterations of temporomandibular joint function during treatment of unilateral mandibular fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS. We compared 49 patients treated for unilateral mandibular fracture without occlusal correction with 21 patient treated for unilateral mandibular fracture along with early and consequent occlusal ...

Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, Sarcocystis neurona, and S. canis are related protozoans that can cause mortality in many species of domestic and wild animals. Recently, T. gondii and S. neurona were recognized to cause encephalitis in marine mammals. As yet, there is no report of natural exposure of N. caninum in marine mammals. In the present study, antibodies to T. gondii and N. caninum...