Bossart G D, Baden D G, Ewing R Y, Roberts B, Wright S D
Department of Pathology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Florida 33101, USA.
Toxicol Pathol. 1998 Mar-Apr;26(2):276-82. doi: 10.1177/019262339802600214.
In 1996, at least 149 manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) died in an unprecedented epizootic along the southwest coast of Florida. At about the same time, a bloom of the brevetoxin-producing dinoflagellates, Gymnodinium breve, was present in the same area. Grossly, severe nasopharyngeal, pulmonary, hepatic, renal, and cerebral congestion was present in all cases. Nasopharyngeal and pulmonary edema and hemorrhage were also seen. Consistent microscopic lesions consisted of catarrhal rhinitis, pulmonary hemorrhage and edema, multiorgan hemosiderosis, and nonsuppurative leptomeningitis. Immunohistochemical staining using a polyclonal primary antibody to brevetoxin (GAB) showed intense positive staining of lymphocytes and macrophages in the lung, liver, and secondary lymphoid tissues. Additionally, lymphocytes and macrophages associated with the inflammatory lesions of the nasal mucosa and meninges were also positive for brevetoxin. These findings implicate brevetoxicosis as a component of and the likely primary etiology for the epizootic. The data suggest that mortality resulting from brevetoxicosis may not necessarily be acute but may occur after chronic inhalation and/or ingestion. Immunohistochemical staining with interleukin-1-beta-converting enzyme showed positive staining with a cellular tropism similar to GAB. This suggests that brevetoxicosis may initiate apoptosis and/or the release of inflammatory mediators that culminate in fatal toxic shock.
1996年，至少149头西印度海牛（Trichechus manatus latirostris）在佛罗里达州西南海岸一场前所未有的动物疫病流行中死亡。大约在同一时间，该地区出现了产生短裸甲藻毒素的双鞭毛藻——短裸甲藻大量繁殖的情况。大体上，所有病例均出现严重的鼻咽、肺、肝、肾和脑充血。还可见鼻咽和肺水肿及出血。一致的微观病变包括卡他性鼻炎、肺出血和水肿、多器官含铁血黄素沉着以及非化脓性软脑膜炎。使用针对短裸甲藻毒素的多克隆一抗（GAB）进行免疫组织化学染色显示，肺、肝和二级淋巴组织中的淋巴细胞和巨噬细胞呈强阳性染色。此外，与鼻粘膜和脑膜炎性病变相关的淋巴细胞和巨噬细胞对短裸甲藻毒素也呈阳性。这些发现表明短裸甲藻毒素中毒是此次动物疫病流行的一个组成部分且可能是主要病因。数据表明，短裸甲藻毒素中毒导致的死亡不一定是急性的，也可能在长期吸入和/或摄入后发生。用白细胞介素-1-β转化酶进行免疫组织化学染色显示出与GAB相似的细胞嗜性阳性染色。这表明短裸甲藻毒素中毒可能引发细胞凋亡和/或炎症介质的释放，最终导致致命的中毒性休克。
