Lipscomb T P, Harris R K, Moeller R B, Pletcher J M, Haebler R J, Ballachey B E
Department of Veterinary Pathology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, DC.
Vet Pathol. 1993 Jan;30(1):1-11. doi: 10.1177/030098589303000101.
Following the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska, sea otters (Enhydra lutris) that appeared to be contaminated with oil, that were in danger of becoming contaminated, or that were behaving abnormally were captured and taken to rehabilitation centers. Exposure to oil was assessed by visual examination when otters arrived at the centers. Degree of oil exposure was graded according to the following criteria: oil covering greater than 60% of the body--heavily contaminated; oil covering 30-60% of the body--moderately contaminated; oil covering less than 30% of the body or light sheen on fur--lightly contaminated. If there was no oil visible, otters were considered uncontaminated. Tissues from 51 oil-contaminated sea otters (14 males, 37 females) and from six uncontaminated sea otters (three males, three females) that died in rehabilitation centers were examined histologically. Among oil-contaminated sea otters, 19/46 had interstitial pulmonary emphysema, 13/40 had gastric erosion and hemorrhage, 11/47 had centrilobular hepatic necrosis, 14/47 had periportal to diffuse hepatic lipidosis, and 10/42 had renal tubular lipidosis. Of the uncontaminated sea otters, 1/6 had gastric erosion and hemorrhage and 1/6 had diffuse hepatic lipidosis. Histologic examinations were performed on tissues from five sea otters (three males, two females) found dead with external oil present 15 to 16 days after the spill. Periportal hepatic lipidosis and renal tubular lipidosis were found in 3/5, and interstitial pulmonary emphysema was found in 1/5. Tissues from six apparently normal sea otters (four males, two females) collected from an area not affected by an oil spill were examined histologically, and none of these lesions were found. We conclude that interstitial pulmonary emphysema, centrilobular hepatic necrosis, and hepatic and renal lipidosis of sea otters were associated with exposure to crude oil. Gastric erosion and hemorrhage may have been associated with stress of captivity and/or oil exposure.
在阿拉斯加威廉王子湾发生埃克森·瓦尔迪兹号油轮漏油事件后，那些看起来被油污污染、有被污染危险或行为异常的海獭（海獭属）被捕获并送往康复中心。海獭抵达中心时，通过目视检查评估其油污暴露情况。油污暴露程度根据以下标准分级：油污覆盖身体超过60%——重度污染；油污覆盖身体30%-60%——中度污染；油污覆盖身体少于30%或皮毛有轻微光泽——轻度污染。如果没有可见油污，则认为海獭未受污染。对在康复中心死亡的51只受油污污染的海獭（14只雄性，37只雌性）和6只未受污染的海獭（3只雄性，3只雌性）的组织进行了组织学检查。在受油污污染的海獭中，19/46有间质性肺气肿，13/40有胃糜烂和出血，11/47有小叶中心性肝坏死，14/47有门周至弥漫性肝脂肪变性，10/42有肾小管脂肪变性。在未受污染的海獭中，1/6有胃糜烂和出血，1/6有弥漫性肝脂肪变性。对在漏油事件发生15至16天后发现死亡且体表有油污的5只海獭（3只雄性，2只雌性）的组织进行了组织学检查。3/5有门周肝脂肪变性和肾小管脂肪变性，1/5有间质性肺气肿。对从未受漏油事件影响地区采集的6只外观正常的海獭（4只雄性，2只雌性）的组织进行了组织学检查，未发现这些病变。我们得出结论，海獭的间质性肺气肿、小叶中心性肝坏死以及肝和肾脂肪变性与接触原油有关。胃糜烂和出血可能与圈养应激和/或油污暴露有关。
