Skin lesions on coastal dolphins are associated with water that’s colder and has lower salinity, say researchers at the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science. They analyzed photographs collected during routine monitoring studies of dolphins in estuaries and coastal waters of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida and found that in all three sites, the prevalence of skin lesions [...]
In August 2008, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin was found dead on the North Carolina coast, its skin cracked and ulcerated with an alarming growth of gray and white nodules. This dolphin was confirmed as having lobomycosis, the first confirmed case in North Carolina waters of this chronic fungal skin infection. Reports of this type of [...]
Researchers from the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science and colleagues have identified a unique anti-biofilm chemical, derived from a sponge, that seems to be able to reverse antibiotic resistance in many strains of harmful bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). When researchers mixed the agent with antibiotics and applied them to microbial infections [...]
Caption: In marine environments, Dr. Peter Moeller has found new bacteria that yield highly selective antibiotics as well as a chemical in a sponge that makes bacteria more vulnerable to existing antibiotics. He participated in a news briefing and symposium on Friday, Feb. 13, at the 2009 AAAS Annual Meeting. For more information on Dr. [...]
Scientists from the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, working with NOAA Fisheries Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response researchers, identified multiple cases of lobomycosis in stranded and live, free-swimming bottlenose dolphins from coastal North Carolina. Lobomycosis is a chronic fungal infection of the skin and, until now, only been reported in people and dolphins [...]
National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science researchers, examining immune markers in wild dolphins from the Indian River Lagoon, FL diagnosed with lobomycosis during 2003-2005, compared to those without lobomycosis, found that diseased dolphins suffer from severe immunosuppression in their adaptive immunity responses. Lobomycosis (lacaziosis) is a chronic granulomatous disease of the skin and subcutaneous tissue [...]
As a part of their talks on persistent organic pollutants, two scientists presented National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) Mussel Watch Project data at the recent 27th annual meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, providing information that will serve to inform future research and environmental management efforts. The Mussel Watch Project [...]