Antibodies to Brucella in marine mammals around the coast of England and Wales

Jepson, Paul D.; Brew, Simon D.; MacMillan, Alastair; Baker, John; Barnett, James; Kirkwood, James; Kuiken, Thijs; Robinson, Ian; Simpson, V. R.

doi:10.1136/vr.141.20.513

Cited by 73 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…It is not known if marine Brucella infection occurs in southern resident killer whales, although antibodies to Brucella spp. have been identified in a free-ranging killer whale (Jepson et al, 1997) and were detected in a female transient killer whale stranded within the range of southern resident killer whale population (CA 189; January 2002, Dungeness Spit, Washington; pers. comm., S. Raverty).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating potential infectious disease threats for southern resident killer whales, Orcinus orca: a model for endangered species

Gaydos

Balcomb

Osborne

et al. 2004

Biological Conservation

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Infectious diseases have the potential to play a role in the decline of threatened wildlife populations, as well as negatively affect their long-term viability, but determining which infectious agents present risks can be difficult. The southern resident killer whale, Orcinus orca, population is endangered and little is known about infectious diseases in this species. Using available reference literature, we identified 15 infectious agents (bacteria, viruses, and fungi) reported in free-ranging and captive killer whales, as well as 28 additional infectious agents reported in free-ranging and captive odontocete species sympatric to southern resident killer whales. Infectious agents were scored as having a high, medium, or low ability to affect fecundity or reproductive success, to cause disease in individual animals, and to cause epizootics. Marine Brucella spp., cetacean poxvirus, cetacean morbilliviruses, and herpesviruses were identified as high priority pathogens that warrant further study. Using identified pathogens to develop a standardized necropsy and disease testing protocol for southern resident killer whales and sympatric odontocetes will improve future efforts to better understand the impacts of priority and non-priority infectious agents on southern resident killer whales. This model can be used to evaluate potential infectious disease risks in other threatened wildlife populations. #

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating potential infectious disease threats for southern resident killer whales, Orcinus orca: a model for endangered species

Gaydos

Balcomb

Osborne

et al. 2004

Biological Conservation

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“…8, 9, 11, and 13 were also tested for Brucella-specific antibodies by competitive ELISA and indirect ELISA. 26 …”

Section: Serologymentioning

confidence: 99%

The 2000 Canine Distemper Epidemic in Caspian Seals (Phoca caspica): Pathology and Analysis of Contributory Factors

et al. 2006

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Abstract. More than 10,000 Caspian seals (Phoca caspica) were reported dead in the Caspian Sea during spring and summer 2000. We performed necropsies and extensive laboratory analyses on 18 seals, as well as examination of the pattern of strandings and variation in weather in recent years, to identify the cause of mortality and potential contributory factors. The monthly stranding rate in 2000 was up to 2.8 times the historic mean. It was preceded by an unusually mild winter, as observed before in mass mortality events of pinnipeds. The primary diagnosis in 11 of 13 seals was canine distemper, characterized by broncho-interstitial pneumonia, lymphocytic necrosis and depletion in lymphoid organs, and the presence of typical intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies in multiple epithelia. Canine distemper virus infection was confirmed by phylogenetic analysis of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction products. Organochlorine and zinc concentrations in tissues of seals with canine distemper were comparable to those of Caspian seals in previous years. Concurrent bacterial infections that may have contributed to the mortality of the seals included Bordetella bronchiseptica (4/8 seals), Streptococcus phocae (3/8), Salmonella dublin (1/8), and S. choleraesuis (1/8). A newly identified bacterium, Corynebacterium caspium, was associated with balanoposthitis in one seal. Several infectious and parasitic organisms, including poxvirus, Atopobacter phocae, Eimeria-and Sarcocystis-like organisms, and Halarachne sp. were identified in Caspian seals for the first time.

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“…documented in many cetacean, pinniped, and marine carnivore species. 14,26,27 Brucella pinnipedialis and Brucella ceti have been proposed as formal names for isolates from pinnipeds and cetaceans, respectively, based on metabolic differences in culture and genetic analyses. 11 Other genetic studies support 3 distinct lineages with associated host preferences for pinnipeds, dolphins, and porpoises, although host specificity is not absolute.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction assay with two internal controls for the detection of Brucella species in tissues, blood, and feces from marine mammals

et al. 2012

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Abstract. Brucellosis has emerged as a disease of concern in marine mammals in the last 2 decades. Molecular detection techniques have the potential to address limitations of other methods for detecting infection with Brucella in these species. Presented herein is a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method targeting the Brucella genus-specific bcsp31 gene. The method also includes a target to a conserved region of the eukaryotic mitochondrial 16S ribosomal RNA gene to assess suitability of extracted DNA and a plasmid-based internal control to detect failure of PCR due to inhibition. This method was optimized and validated to detect Brucella spp. in multiple sample matrices, including fresh or frozen tissue, blood, and feces. The analytical limit of detection was low, with 95% amplification at 24 fg, or an estimated 7 bacterial genomic copies. When Brucella spp. were experimentally added to tissue or fecal homogenates, the assay detected an estimated 1-5 bacteria/µl. An experiment simulating tissue autolysis showed relative persistence of bacterial DNA compared to host mitochondrial DNA. When used to screen 1,658 field-collected marine mammal tissues in comparison to microbial culture, diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were 70.4% and 98.3%, respectively. In addition to amplification in fresh and frozen tissues, Brucella spp. were detected in feces and formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from culture-positive animals. Results indicate the utility of this real-time PCR for the detection of Brucella spp. in marine species, which may have applications in surveillance or epidemiologic investigations.

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Antibodies to Brucella in marine mammals around the coast of England and Wales

Cited by 73 publications

References 7 publications

Evaluating potential infectious disease threats for southern resident killer whales, Orcinus orca: a model for endangered species

Evaluating potential infectious disease threats for southern resident killer whales, Orcinus orca: a model for endangered species

The 2000 Canine Distemper Epidemic in Caspian Seals (Phoca caspica): Pathology and Analysis of Contributory Factors

A multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction assay with two internal controls for the detection of Brucella species in tissues, blood, and feces from marine mammals

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