Four Sea Otters Infected with Unprecedented Deadly Strain
In February and March 2022, four sea otters were washed ashore in California. Three infected females were stranded within 16 miles of each other in San Luis Obispo County, while the male was found in Santa Cruz. The shocking discovery was soon made that the sea otters had been infected with a severe form of toxoplasmosis, caused by a rare and deadly strain of the microscopic parasite Toxoplasma gondii. This particular strain, known as the COUG genotype, appears to be more fatal than most and has never before been reported in aquatic animals or on the California coastline.
Sea otters are especially vulnerable to this disease due to their proximity to the shoreline and their consumption of marine invertebrates that can concentrate the parasites. While toxoplasmosis is common among sea otters as they are exposed to the parasite’s eggs in stormwater runoff and eat bivalve shellfish, this rare strain represents a new threat. Scientists are concerned that if it contaminates the environment and the marine food chain, it could pose a public health risk.
Possible Sources of Infection
The exact source of this deadly strain remains unknown, but researchers hypothesize that domestic or wild cats may shed the parasite through their feces into streams or stormwater runoff, which then drains into ocean waters where otters feed and subsequently become infected. There are no known cases of infection with this strain in humans yet.
Toxoplasmosis can potentially infect any warm-blooded animal and may cause disease in other animals and humans that share the same environment or food resources – including mussels, clams, oysters, and crabs that are consumed raw or undercooked. As such, this rare and lethal strain poses a potential risk to human health.
Threat to the Endangered Sea Otter Species
Sea otters have been protected under the Endangered Species Act since 1977, and their population has struggled to get back to its historic numbers and geographic range due to other infectious diseases, resource limitations, and shark predation. This discovery poses a further threat to the species’ recovery efforts.
Increased surveillance and research are needed to determine the prevalence of the parasite and where it’s coming from, how widespread it is geographically, and to what degree it could affect other species. Sea otters play a critical role in coastal ecosystems as they help maintain kelp forest ecosystems by consuming herbivorous sea urchins. Any threat to their population could have serious consequences in many other areas of marine life.
Understanding Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis is caused by a protozoan parasite called Toxoplasma gondii that inhabits the digestive tract of cats. Infected cats shed millions of T. gondii eggs in their feces each day, which can persist in soil and water for many months. Humans can become infected with toxoplasmosis by accidentally ingesting contaminated soil or water or by eating raw or undercooked meat from infected animals.
Although the immediate risk for humans may be relatively low, this discovery highlights the importance of following safe food handling practices – including thoroughly washing fruits and vegetables, cooking all meat thoroughly, maintaining good hand hygiene when handling pets or working with soil – particularly in areas where sea otters are known to live.
Conclusion
It is essential to conduct further research on this new strain of toxoplasmosis in sea otters to better understand its impact on marine life and public health. While there are currently no reported infections of this strain in humans, scientists urge extra precautions to mitigate the spread of the disease to other animals and humans. With the discovery of this deadly strain in sea otters, it is critical to safeguard human health and protect marine wildlife by staying vigilant and taking appropriate measures to avoid infection.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
