ABSTRACT
The field of marine mammal virology is in its relative infancy. The first marine mammal virus was not recognized until 1968. Presumably, unidentified viruses are awaiting the examination of marine mammal hosts, utilizing proper tissue culture cell lines. The San Miguel sea lion virus (SMSLV), a calicivirus, was first isolated in 1972. The proliferative skin lesions, which contain virus demonstrable by electron microscopy, have been reported in sea lions, harbor seals, and in South American sea lions. Dolphin pox virus has been identified to be the putative etiology of the peculiar skin lesions of porpoises known as "tattoos". Dolphin pox virus has not been propagated in culture but it has been seen by electron microscopic examination of epidermal lesions from Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, and an Atlantic white-sided dolphin.
