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We determined the levels of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 19 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and 18 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the plasma of captive adult killer whales and in their food. The goal of this research was the assessment of the dietary exposure of killer whales to these pollutants to gain insight on what is the actual magnitude of the exposure in this species, which is considered among the most contaminated in the planet. Plasma median ∑OCP and ∑PCB contents were 3150.3 and 7985.9 ng g(-1)l.w., respectively. A total of 78.9% of the PCBs were marker-PCBs, and 21.1% were dioxin-like PCBs (6688.7 pg g(-1)l.w. dioxin toxic equivalents). This is the first report of the blood levels of PAHs in killer whales, and their median value was 1023.1 ng g(-1)l.w. In parallel, we also determined the levels of these contaminants in the fish species that are used to feed these animals to estimate the orcas' average daily dietary intake of pollutants. All the contaminants in the fish were detected in the plasma of the killer whales, and proportionality between the intake and the blood levels was observed in all the animals. The calculated intake was extremely high for certain contaminants, which is a concern, giving a glimpse of what possibly occurs in the wild, where exposure to these contaminants can be even higher. Therefore, although many of these chemicals have been banned for decades, even today, the levels of these chemicals could reach very toxic concentrations in the tissues of these endangered animals because of their diet.

Objet de l’etude Fusarium spp. est une moisissure environnementale connue en pathologie veterinaire. Bien que les cas restent rares dans la litterature (moins de 100 publications), les pathologies decrites incluent – comme chez l’homme – des mycotoxicoses et des infections cutaneo-muqueuses ou systemiques, en particulier chez les animaux de compagnie, les animaux domestiques et d’elevage, les mammiferes marins, les poissons, les crustaces, les reptiles, et parmi ces derniers, les Testudines (tortues). Divers champignons filamenteux, dont plusieurs especes de Fusarium sont decrites comme a l’origine d’infections chez les tortues terrestres. Chez les tortues marines Caretta caretta (tortue caouanne) et Lepidochelys kempii (tortue de Kemp) des infections tegumentaires ou invasives a Fusarium solani sont decrites chez les sujets adultes affaiblis (capture, echouage) ainsi que des infestations des nids en milieu naturel, atteignant œufs et juveniles et causant des pertes massives lors de la reproduction. Nous illustrons la pathogenicite de Fusarium spp. en medecine veterinaire, au travers de notre experience concernant les tortues C. caretta . Methodes En 2010, le parc Marineland d’Antibes a pu realiser pour la premiere fois en Europe la reproduction en captivite de C. caretta . La premiere generation a neanmoins ete majoritairement atteinte par un agent infectieux a l’origine de lesions cutanees et de differents organes. Resultats Les prelevements a visee microbiologique ont permis d’etablir le diagnostic de fusariose a F. solani . L’identification des divers isolats a ete confirmee en spectrometrie de masse et leur sensibilite aux antifongiques testee. Un traitement antifongique par posaconazole a permis de sauver une partie de la nichee. Une enquete epidemiologique a ete menee, des mesures d’hygienes drastiques mises en place et un protocole prophylactique et curatif defini. Conclusion Les conditions de transmission et de pathogenicite de Fusarium spp. chez ces animaux sont discutees ainsi que les mesures de prevention et le traitement. De nouvelles naissances ont eu lieu depuis, et meme si quelques cas sporadiques de fusarioses sont de nouveau survenus, une meilleure connaissance et reconnaissance de cet agent pathogene a permis une amelioration du taux de survie des jeunes tortues.

The koala retrovirus (KoRV) is a gammaretrovirus closely related to the gibbon ape leukemia virus and induces leukemias and immune deficiencies associated with opportunistic infections, such as chlamydiosis. Here we characterize a KoRV newly isolated from an animal in a German zoo and show infection of human and rat cell lines in vitro and of rats in vivo, using immunological and PCR methods for virus detection. The KoRV transmembrane envelope protein (p15E) was cloned and expressed, and p15E-specific neutralizing antibodies able to prevent virus infection in vitro were developed. Finally, evidence for immunosuppressive properties of the KoRV was obtained.