Nasitrema sp.-associated encephalitis in a striped dolphin ( Stenella coeruleoalba ) stranded in the Gulf of Mexico
An immature female striped dolphin ( Stenella coeruleoalba ) found dead on a northwestern Florida beach in 1988 exhibited severe inflammation bilaterally in the dorsal and mid-thalamus in association with adult trematodes ( Nasitrema sp.) and trematode eggs. Numerous specimens of Nasitrema sp. also were present in the pterygoid sinuses. Pneumonia in association with a heavy growth of Vibrio damsela was observed also. This report confirms the occurrence of Nasitrema sp.-associated encephalitis in striped dolphins and in small cetaceans from the Gulf of Mexico.
Journal of Wildlife Diseases↗