Cryptococcus gattii outbreak in porpoises and dolphins in the Salish Sea

Cryptococcus gattii is a fungus that lives in the environment in primarily tropical and sub-tropical areas of the world but also in some temperate regions such as British Columbia and some parts of the United States. C. gattii cryptococcosis is a rare infection that people can get after breathing in the microscopic fungus. Scientists found that the disease also killed porpoises and dolphins in the Salish Sea. In a new study published in Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, researchers explore how human-caused changes on land can affect aquatic animals, specifically in the case of the fungal pathogen, Cryptococcus gattii. Joining me today to discuss this topic is research assistant at the SeaDoc Society, a program of the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, and lead author, Sarah Teman.