CIIMAR researchers help develop a non-invasive approach to identify potential pathogens through the analysis of the cetacean blow microbiome

Researchers from the Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR) are part of an international team that has developed a new methodology to identify potential pathogens in dolphin blow, the air expelled through the blowhole during respiration.
The study, entitled "Mapping Potential Pathogen Profiling in Cetacean Blow: Comparative Insights from Sequencing Technologies", published in Microbial Genomics, opens new possibilities for monitoring the health of these marine mammals without the need for invasive procedures.
Non-invasive alternatives
Understanding the health status of cetacean populations is essential to assess the impacts of environmental change, human activities and disease on these animals. However, knowledge about the presence of pathogens in dolphins remains limited, largely due to the challenges associated with collecting biological samples, which often rely on invasive methods.
To help address this knowledge gap, the researchers applied a new approach based on the analysis of the microbiome present in the blow of different dolphin species. Similar to human breath, dolphin blow contains microorganisms and other biological particles that can provide valuable information about an animal’s health status.
The aim of this international study, which involved researchers from ten research institutions, including CIIMAR, was to identify potential disease-associated microorganisms and obtain an initial assessment of dolphin health through a non-invasive method.
“We think this new approach constitutes a crucial step towards making non-invasive cetacean health monitoring a reality in the future,” says Catarina Magalhães, researcher at CIIMAR and professor at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto (FCUP).
Innovative technologies
In addition to its pioneering approach, the study employed PacBio sequencing technology, which is still rarely used in this type of research. This technology enables real-time sequencing of individual DNA molecules and provides high-quality genetic information on the microbial communities present in the analysed samples.
Combined with an advanced computational pipeline for the identification of potential pathogens, this technology enabled the development of a promising methodology for cetacean health monitoring.
The results
The results demonstrate that this strategy represents a promising tool for detecting potential pathogens in cetaceans. The study also provides the first characterization of the blow microbiome of the common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) using a methodology specifically designed for pathogen identification.
According to Nicola Gambardella, CIIMAR researcher and co-author of the study, “we are providing a new tool that researchers can use to better understand the presence of pathogens in dolphins”.
According to the research team, this methodology lays the groundwork for future cetacean health monitoring programmes and for the development of increasingly robust tools for the early detection of diseases in wild marine populations.
International consortium
The study involved researchers from CIIMAR, the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto (FCUP), the University of Hamburg, ICBAS, the CIMA Research Foundation, the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, the Aquatic Research Network (ARNET), ARDITI – Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation, and the Faculty of Life Sciences of the University of Madeira.
This work was funded by the EMPHATIC (https://emphaticbiodiversa.wixsite.com/emphatic-project) and ATLÂNTIDA II project (https://www.ciimar.up.pt/projects/atlantida-ii/).

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