Clinical And Pathological Characterization Of Northern Elephant Seal Skin Disease
July 1997
in “
Journal of Wildlife Diseases
”
TLDR Young northern elephant seals with skin disease were smaller, had nutrient imbalances, and higher PCB levels, possibly linked to the disease.
From 1984 to 1992, The Marine Mammal Center examined 207 northern elephant seals with northern elephant seal skin disease (NESSD), characterized by alopecia, hyperpigmentation, and skin ulceration. All affected seals were under 2 years old and exhibited symptoms like emaciation and dehydration. Mortality increased with ulcer severity, and diseased seals showed lower levels of thyroxine, triiodothyronine, and other nutrients, while certain enzyme levels were elevated. Diseased seals were about 15% smaller than healthy ones, and higher concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and p,p′-DDE were found in their serum. The exact cause of NESSD was unknown, but PCB toxicosis was considered a potential factor.
