The relationship between polychlorinated biphenyls in blubber and levels of nematode infestations in harbour porpoises, Phocoena phocoena. 2006

J C Bull, and P D Jepson, and R K Ssuna, and R Deaville, and C R Allchin, and R J Law, and A Fenton
Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK. james.bull@ioz.ac.uk

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.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008168 Lung Either of the pair of organs occupying the cavity of the thorax that effect the aeration of the blood. Lungs
D008297 Male Males
D009348 Nematoda A phylum of unsegmented helminths with fundamental bilateral symmetry and secondary triradiate symmetry of the oral and esophageal structures. Many species are parasites. Phasmidia,Secernentea,Sipunculida
D009349 Nematode Infections Infections by nematodes, general or unspecified. Infections, Nematode,Infection, Nematode,Nematode Infection
D011078 Polychlorinated Biphenyls Industrial products consisting of a mixture of chlorinated biphenyl congeners and isomers. These compounds are highly lipophilic and tend to accumulate in fat stores of animals. Many of these compounds are considered toxic and potential environmental pollutants. PCBs,Polychlorinated Biphenyl,Polychlorobiphenyl Compounds,Biphenyl, Polychlorinated,Biphenyls, Polychlorinated,Compounds, Polychlorobiphenyl
D001980 Bronchi The larger air passages of the lungs arising from the terminal bifurcation of the TRACHEA. They include the largest two primary bronchi which branch out into secondary bronchi, and tertiary bronchi which extend into BRONCHIOLES and PULMONARY ALVEOLI. Primary Bronchi,Primary Bronchus,Secondary Bronchi,Secondary Bronchus,Tertiary Bronchi,Tertiary Bronchus,Bronchi, Primary,Bronchi, Secondary,Bronchi, Tertiary,Bronchus,Bronchus, Primary,Bronchus, Secondary,Bronchus, Tertiary
D005260 Female Females
D000273 Adipose Tissue Specialized connective tissue composed of fat cells (ADIPOCYTES). It is the site of stored FATS, usually in the form of TRIGLYCERIDES. In mammals, there are two types of adipose tissue, the WHITE FAT and the BROWN FAT. Their relative distributions vary in different species with most adipose tissue being white. Fatty Tissue,Body Fat,Fat Pad,Fat Pads,Pad, Fat,Pads, Fat,Tissue, Adipose,Tissue, Fatty
D000367 Age Factors Age as a constituent element or influence contributing to the production of a result. It may be applicable to the cause or the effect of a circumstance. It is used with human or animal concepts but should be differentiated from AGING, a physiological process, and TIME FACTORS which refers only to the passage of time. Age Reporting,Age Factor,Factor, Age,Factors, Age
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia

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