Mysterious Brain Disease Found in Dead Great White Sharks Along Atlantic Coast

A string of the deaths of an unexplained great white shark, unexplained along the North American Atlantic coast, has raised concerns among marine scientists. The first known case was registered in August 2023, when a teenage male shark, which weighed 500 pounds and measured 8 feet 9 inches, was found dead on a beach in the Prince Edward Island in Canada. The body was taken to the Atlantic Veterinary College at Prince Edward Island University for the examination. Initial comments showed no external injuries, and starvation was rejected due to the presence of a healthy liver. A necropy later revealed meningo encephalitis, inflammation of the brain tissue, the cause of death. The findings inspired further investigation when additional cases were reported throughout the region.

Study Shark identifies potential patterns in deaths

As Informed By the New York Times, in a study by Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (CWHC), four and great white shark tissue samples found in eastern Canada showed similar brain inflammation. Dr. Megan Jones, a veterinarian pathologist and CWHC Regional Director, Stated For the New York Times that three out of five sharks were examined, which displays signs of a possible infectious disease affecting the brain. Overall, nine cases of dead white sharks with brain inflammation have been recorded from July 2022. While brain inflammation is detected in other shark species, the reason was usually associated with bacterial infections. In these great whites, no such clear reason has been identified.

Baseline data shortage faces challenges

The main veterinarian for the Shark Research Organization, Ocearch, Florida, Dr. Alisa Newton said that when deaths appear, the lack of infrastructure for white sharks in the western North Atlantic is difficult to determine whether it is an discrepancy or whether it is an anomaly or a natural phenomenon. He first identified meningo encephalitis in a white shark in 2022, which was from a brain tissue sample collected from the long island in New York. The condition was also found in the sharks of South Carolina and Massachusetts, with additional cases under the review.

Investigation continues amid uncertainty

Efforts are on to understand the root cause of inflammation. The genetic sequencing of brain tissue from a South Carolina shark has been initiated in the Washington Animal Disease Clinical Laboratory to identify potential viral or bacterial pathogens. Meanwhile, some experts, including Tony Vimer, Executive Director of the Marine Animal Response Society (MARS), believe that the increased number of beach sharks may be linked to population growth rather than an emerging disease. The secret behind these deaths remains unresolved until more evidence is gathered.