Miami, (Reuter) - A virus that causes benign skin tumours has been found for the first time in Florida manatees and could pose a new threat to the endangered MARINE MAMMAL, a University of Miami researcher said on Wednesday.

It was the first time any virus had been found in manatees, which have strong immune systems, UM scientist Dr Gregory Bossart said.

The infection, called papillomavirus, was confirmed through DNA molecular testing on tissue from two manatees inhabiting separate areas of Florida's Gulf coast, Bossart said in a statement.
"The fact that we have confirmed that two animals from different locations are infected indicates that this may be a new problem and it has the potential to spread," Bossart said.

Papillomavirus causes lesions in a variety of mammals including humans. Researchers have seen unusual viral infections, skin lesions and tumours in other marine mammals in recent years, including bottlenose dolphins and killer whales. The tumours rarely are malignant, but can appear above the eyes, on the mouth or genitals, causing functional problems for the creatures, researchers said.

Manatees, or sea cows, are gentle, slow-moving vegetarian giants, weighing over 1000 pounds. They are among the most endangered of marine mammals, with only 2500-3000 remaining in warm US coastal waters.

More than 400 manatees died last year, the worst mortality record of any year on record. About 150 of those were killed by brevetoxin, a substance produced by red tide, a massive algae bloom.

Bossart said the emergence of the virus in manatees may have resulted from environmental degradation.
"We've been using the ocean as our toilet for so long that we may now be seeing the results," he said.