Cetacean morbilliviruses (CeMVs) are significant causes of mortality in many cetacean species in epizootics and smaller outbreaks. Despite the prominence of skin lesions in seals and terrestrial animals, including humans, affected by other morbilliviruses, they have not been reported in CeMV-infected cetaceans. Here we report CeMV-associated skin lesions in a fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) with subacute, systemic CeMV infection that live-stranded in Scotland, UK. Grossly, the skin was sloughing in large sheets, presumed due to autolysis, but histological examination showed syncytia, below the dermoepidermal junction, that were strongly immunopositive for morbillivirus antigen, as were syncytia in other organs. By polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the relative load of CeMV-specific RNA was largest in the liver and urinary bladder, even in formalin-fixed, paraffin-wax embedded samples. Levels were low in skin and only detectable in frozen samples. Genetic comparison of the CeMV revealed close alignment with isolates from fin whales from the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, but that it was distinct from the porpoise CeMV clade. These findings show skin samples can be used to diagnose CeMV infection in cetaceans, highlighting the potential of ante-mortem sampling for monitoring disease in current populations and assessment of changes in host and pathogen genetics.

中文翻译：

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患有系统性鲸类麻疹病毒感染的长须鲸（Balaenoptera physalus）的新型皮炎和相对病毒核酸组织负荷。

鲸类麻疹病毒 (CeMV) 是导致流行病和小规模暴发中许多鲸类物种死亡的重要原因。尽管受到其他麻疹病毒影响的海豹和陆生动物（包括人类）的皮肤损伤很突出，但尚未在感染 CeMV 的鲸类动物中报告。在这里，我们报告了一头长须鲸（Balaenoptera physalus）中与 CeMV 相关的皮肤病变，其亚急性、全身性 CeMV 感染在英国苏格兰生活搁浅。大体上，皮肤呈大片脱落，推测是由于自溶，但组织学检查显示在真皮表皮交界处以下的合胞体对麻疹病毒抗原呈强免疫阳性，其他器官中的合胞体也是如此。通过聚合酶链反应 (PCR)，CeMV 特异性 RNA 的相对负荷在肝脏和膀胱中最大，即使在福尔马林固定、石蜡包埋的样品中。皮肤中的水平很低，只能在冷冻样品中检测到。CeMV 的遗传比较显示与来自北大西洋和地中海的长须鲸的分离物密切相关，但它与鼠海豚 CeMV 进化枝不同。这些发现表明，皮肤样本可用于诊断鲸类动物的 CeMV 感染，突出了死前采样在监测当前种群疾病和评估宿主和病原体遗传学变化方面的潜力。