Pinniped Zoonoses: A Review

Deepak; Vaishali; Renu Gupta; Vijay J. Jadhav; Davinder Singh; Sheza Farooq

Authors

Deepak Master of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Public University in Davis, CALIFORNIA
Vaishali Department of Veterinary Public Health, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar, Haryana, INDIA
Renu Gupta Department of Veterinary Public Health, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar, Haryana, INDIA
Vijay J. Jadhav Department of Veterinary Public Health, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar, Haryana, INDIA
Davinder Singh Department of Veterinary Public Health, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar, Haryana, INDIA
Sheza Farooq Department of Animal Biotechnology, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar, Haryana, INDIA

Keywords:

Erysipelothrix rhusipathiae, Pinnipeds, Seal-Finger, Zoonotic Disease

Abstract

Pinnipeds are monophyletic finned carnivorous marine mammals consisting of walruses, sea lions, fur seals. It is a very fascinating megafauna and has unidentified interaction with humans. The attraction to pinnipeds bloom during the summer vocational season where it goes unnoticed. They can live in proximity to humans. Pinnipeds cause variety of zoonotic disease being bacterial, viral, fungal and protozoal in origin and the major described diseases are ‘seal finger’, dermatitis and conjunctivitis. The majority of the affected group by pinniped zoonoses are tourists frequenting beaches, fisherman and hunters of pinnipeds, coastal habitants, individuals eating pinniped meat, biologists studying pinnipeds, veterinarians treating and conducting necropsies of pinnipeds, marine mammal rescuers, wildlife rehabilitators, animal trainers and marine mammal workers as a whole. This review as a whole is a concise information of zoonotic disease by pinnipeds.