California sea lions at the Marine Mammal Center frequently suffer from leptospirosis, a severe kidney disease caused by Leptospira bacteria. Symptoms include curled flippers and unusual drinking behaviors. The disease requires urgent treatment with antibiotics and fluids, but two-thirds of affected sea lions do not survive. Currently, 100 sea lions are reported to be suffering from the disease. Leptospirosis not only affects marine mammals but also poses health risks to humans and other animals, with over 500,000 severe cases reported annually worldwide.
Leptospirosis, a kidney disease caused by the spiral-shaped bacteria Leptospira, is identifiable by symptoms like unusual drinking behavior in California sea lions.
Urgent treatment for leptospirosis includes antibiotics, fluids, and gastroprotectants, yet two-thirds of diagnosed sea lions at the center do not survive.
Currently, 100 sea lions are suffering from leptospirosis, and the disease poses a health burden for humans, domestic animals, and wildlife globally.
Argus, a sea lion diagnosed with leptospirosis in 2017, represents one of the few survivors that returned to the sea after recovery.
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