MORPHOLOGIC EVIDENCE OF POXVIRUS IN “TATTOO” LESIONS FROM CAPTIVE BOTTLENOSED DOLPHINS

Abstract

Skin lesions known as "tattoos", were observed in several captive Atlantic bottlenosed dolphins (tursiops truncatus) maintained at the Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego, California. Biopsy of typical lesions and subsequent ultrastructural examination revealed intracytoplasmic particles with poxvirus morphology.