‘Mystery disease’ on Pacific coast of Alaska — Livers ‘crumble’… Hearts enlarged, pale… Yellow lymph nodes… Blood-filled lungs (PHOTOS) — Professor: Worrying there’s no answers, big public health concern — Testing carcasses for Fukushima radioactivity (AUDIO)
ENE News
Gay Sheffield, University of Alaska Fairbanks: The lack of answers is worrying. “This has been a big food security, public health concern.”
NOAA (pdf), May 12, 2014: UME will remain open for ice seals (ringed seals, ribbon seals, bearded seals, spotted seals) — based on continued reports of [...] disease symptoms
Alaska Dispatch, May 13, 2014: An investigation into a mysterious disease that caused skin lesions and hair loss among Alaska and Russian walruses has been closed without identifying the root cause [...] The potential causes looked into [...] infections and endocrine disruptions. Also investigated was the possibility of contamination from the Fukushima nuclear plant [...] A preliminary investigation in 2012 concluded that radioactive contamination was not the likely cause. Investigators are now looking at the possibility of multiple causes [according to NOAA,] “the theory is that a number of factors contributed to the illness.”
Unusual Mortality Event, NOAA (pdf): [There's] a variety of changes in internal organs. Among the most striking is bloody fluid accumulation in the lungs (which are occasionally collapsed and/or discolored). Other changes include softened livers and a rare enlargement of the heart. […] Almost all the seals necropsied had some form of hepatitis or inflammation of the liver. [...] lymph nodes and the thymus have also shown consistent changes [...] enlarged lymph nodes [and] very reduced thymus glands in many of the young animals [that could] suggest widespread compromised immune systems [...] The fact that four different species of ice-associated seals had hair loss suggests a common cause [...] hair follicles exhibit degenerative changes, with mostly inactive follicles […] results from Canada, Russia, and/or Japan? […] Real time information sharing on diagnostic results and disease dynamics is ongoing with Russia and Japan. […]
- [1] Liver may crumble easily and discharge blood
- [2] The heart is frequently enlarged and pale […] granular, dry, and soft/decaying tissue
- [3] Tissues may be congested, and blubber underneath lesions may be fluid-filled or have focal areas of inflammation
- [4] Lymph nodes are often enlarged and swollen with an excessive accumulation of fluid. Lymph nodes may also look yellow and/or mottled. This shows the typical look of the lungs, which is very consistent between cases.
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