The role of bacteria in phocine distemper.

The death of many seals believed to be infected with phocine distemper virus was found to be associated with a variety of mainly opportunistic bacterial pathogens. The bacteria most frequently involved were Bordetella bronchiseptica, Corynebacterium species and a variety of Streptococci. Seals dying on different parts of the coast of Britain were infected with these organisms in differing proportions.