Opportunistic Pathogens

Many pathogens will opportunistically infect sea otters including a number of different parasites.  Here you will see how these parasites look at necropsy as well as microscopically!

Media

This video of a LIVE intestinal trematode from a sea otter was taken on a light microscope. If you watch carefully, you'll see the parasite move, and see large numbers of internal eggs (left) and the two suckers (right). This worm is surrounded by other trematodes, and a large air bubble is visible on the right-hand side of the picture. The elliptical, capped eggs of these parasites are usually brown-pigmented, as seen inside the trematodes in the upper and lower left-hand corners. The Inner Otter