Causes of mortality and parasites and incidental lesions in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from British waters

Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Liverpool, Leahurst, Neston.

Detailed post mortem examinations were carried out on 41 harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) found dead on the coast of the United Kingdom. The commonest causes of death were entanglement in fishing gear, and parasitic and bacterial pneumonia. Among the non-fatal conditions parasitoses of various organs were common and there was a very wide variety of other conditions. In total 295 diseases and other lesions were found, an average of 7.2 per animal.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. J. Newman and S. A. Smith Marine mammal neoplasia: a review. Vet. Pathol., November 1, 2006; 43(6): 865 - 880. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Swenshon, C. Lämmler, and U. Siebert Identification and Molecular Characterization of Beta-Hemolytic Streptococci Isolated from Harbor Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) of the North and Baltic Seas J. Clin. Microbiol., July 1, 1998; 36(7): 1902 - 1906. [Abstract] [Full Text]