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The relationship between polychlorinated biphenyls in blubber and levels of nematode infestations in harbour porpoises, Phocoena phocoena

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2006

J. C. BULL ,
P. D. JEPSON ,
R. K. SSUNA ,
R. DEAVILLE ,
C. R. ALLCHIN ,
R. J. LAW  and
A. FENTON
J. C. BULL
Affiliation:
Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK
P. D. JEPSON
Affiliation:
Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK
R. K. SSUNA
Affiliation:
Royal Veterinary College, London NW1 0TU, UK
R. DEAVILLE
Affiliation:
Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK
C. R. ALLCHIN
Affiliation:
CEFAS, Burnham Laboratory, Remembrance Avenue, Burnham on Crouch, Essex CM0 8HA, UK
R. J. LAW
Affiliation:
CEFAS, Burnham Laboratory, Remembrance Avenue, Burnham on Crouch, Essex CM0 8HA, UK
A. FENTON
Affiliation:
Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK School of Biological Sciences, Biosciences Building, Crown Street, University of Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
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Abstract

Post-mortem examinations of harbour porpoises, Phocoena phocoena, regularly reveal heavy parasitic worm burdens. These same post-mortem records show varying levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) accumulating in the blubber of porpoises. Although a number of papers have documented geospatial and temporal changes of PCBs and their detrimental effects on marine mammal health, as yet none have examined their role in determining nematode burdens in wild marine mammal populations. Using a data set consisting of harbour porpoises stranded in the UK between 1989 and 2002, we found a significant, positive association between PCB levels and nematode burdens, although the nature of the relationship was confounded with porpoise sex, age and cause of death. It was also apparent that individuals with the heaviest infestations of nematodes did not have the highest PCB level: while PCBs are important, they are clearly not the sole determinants of nematode burdens in wild populations of the harbour porpoise around the UK.

Keywords

harbour porpoisespolychlorinated biphenylsnematode burdensblubber
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 132 , Issue 4 , April 2006 , pp. 565 - 573
Copyright
2006 Cambridge University Press

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