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Verminous Pneumonia in California Sea Lions: Correlation between Gross and Histopathological Lesions

Respiratory tract nematodes, along with gastrointestinal (GI) tract nematodes, are common findings in marine mammals rescued along the California Coast. Most of the parasites commonly found are metazoans: small and large roundworms (Otostrongylus circumlitus, Anisakis sp., Parafilaroides decosarus). The animals typically present with a severe weight loss, weakness, anorexia, and respiratory distress, in addition to dark diarrhea associated with GI parasitism. Pinnipeds are either primary, intermediate or transport hosts for many parasites in the marine environment, and therefore are intimately involved in movement of parasites between aquatic birds, fish, and other aquatic mammals. In this research, we studied the morphology and histopathology of respiratory tract lesions associated with verminous pneumonia in California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus). Tissue specimens were obtained from 30 stranded pinnipeds necropsied at the local rehabilitation centers in the period of 3 years. The lesions were identified, evaluated, and correlated with the associated gross pathological findings. Adults and larvae of metazoans were found in the pulmonary parenchyma and airways, with a considerable variation in the response of the host tissue to the parasite. The goal of this project is to identify common histopathological findings of verminous pneumonia in California Sea Lions, evaluate the extent of different parameters present, and correlate histopathological lesions with gross pathological findings. These results are expected to provide a useful reference for gross morphological and histopathological evaluation of lesions associated with respiratory parasites in pinnipeds at necropsy.

verminous pneumonia; California sea lions; gross pathology; histopathology

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