New stomach bacteria discovered in pygmy sperm whales after 21 years of study
Researchers analyzing decades-old tissue from stranded pygmy sperm whales have identified three previously unknown Helicobacter genotypes in the animals' stomachs.
A team from Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute revisited archived stomach tissue from 59 pygmy sperm whales that stranded along Florida’s coast over two decades. Using contemporary histopathology and DNA sequencing, they uncovered three distinct Helicobacter genotypes—Kogia Helicobacter 1, 2 and 3—never before recorded. Four whales tested positive for these bacteria and all displayed significant gastric inflammation, ulcers, scarring, and in one case, colitis.
While the bacteria were not deemed the direct cause of death, the consistent tissue damage mirrors chronic Helicobacter infections seen in humans and other marine mammals. Lead researchers Annie Page and Wendy Marks caution that if such infections are widespread, they could affect the health of entire whale populations, a species already considered vulnerable. The study underscores the value of long-term specimen archives for revealing hidden marine health issues.
Why it matters
The discovery suggests a hidden bacterial threat could impact the health and survival of a little-known, vulnerable whale species.
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