100-year-old dead shark had meningitis, researchers say

It is believed that the Greenland shark died from meningitis, which would be the first recorded instance of the infection in the species.

"During the post-mortem examination, the brain did look slightly discolored and congested and the fluid around the brain was cloudy, raising the possibility of infection," James Barnett, pathologist from the Cornwall Marine Pathology Team said. "This was then confirmed on microscopic examination of the brain (histopathology). A species of Pasteurella, a bacteria, was isolated from the fluid and this may well have been the cause of the meningitis."