Brucella species infection in sea-mammals

Ross, H. M.; Foster, Geoffrey; Reid, R.J.; Jahans, Keith; MacMillan, Alastair

doi:10.1136/vr.134.14.359-b

Cited by 157 publications

(115 citation statements)

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“…from stranded harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) and common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) on the coast of Scotland [63], and from an aborted foetus of a captive bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) in California [32], brucellosis was not only unrecognized, but was not even suspected in marine mammals. The recent isolation of marine mammal Brucella strains extends the ecologic range of the genus and, potentially, its scope as a zoonosis [26].…”

Section: Marine Mammal Brucellosismentioning

confidence: 99%

From the discovery of the Malta fever?s agent to the discovery of a marine mammal reservoir, brucellosis has continuously been a re-emerging zoonosis

et al. 2005

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-Brucellosis is not a sustainable disease in humans. The source of human infection always resides in domestic or wild animal reservoirs. The routes of infection are multiple: foodborne, occupational or recreational, linked to travel and even to bioterrorism. New Brucella strains or species may emerge and existing Brucella species adapt to changing social, cultural, travel and agricultural environment. Brucella melitensis is the most important zoonotic agent, followed by Brucella abortus and Brucella suis. This correlates with the fact that worldwide, the control of bovine brucellosis (due to B. abortus) has been achieved to a greater extent than the control of sheep and goat brucellosis (due to B. melitensis), these latter species being the most important domestic animals in many developing countries. The long duration and high cost of treatment of human brucellosis reduces the efficacy of the therapy. There is no human vaccine for brucellosis and the occurrence of brucellosis is directly linked to the status of animal brucellosis in a region. In this context, the Word Health Organization has defined the development of a human vaccine, besides the implementation of control and eradication programs in animals, as a high priority. The pathogenicity for humans of B. suis biovars 1, 3 and 4 is well established, whereas B. suis biovar 2 seems to be less pathogenic. Indeed, although hunters and pig farmers have repeatably experienced infectious contact with B. suis biovar 2 (found in wild boar and outdoor-rearing pigs in Europe), isolation of B. suis biovar 2 from human samples have only been seldom reported. Marine mammal brucellosis, due to two new proposed Brucella species i.e. B. cetaceae and B. pinnipediae, represents a new zoonotic threat but the pathogenicity for humans of the different Brucella species found in cetaceans and pinnipeds still has to be clearly established.Brucella / animal and human brucellosis / zoonoses / domestic and wildlife reservoir

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Section: Marine Mammal Brucellosismentioning

confidence: 99%

From the discovery of the Malta fever?s agent to the discovery of a marine mammal reservoir, brucellosis has continuously been a re-emerging zoonosis

et al. 2005

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“…Infection of marine mammals with Brucella spp. has been recognized since the mid-1990s (Ross et al, 1994). Subsequently, serologic evidence of exposure to bacteria of this genus has been found in many species from various geographic areas (Nielsen et al, 2001;Tryland et al, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Epizootiology of Brucella Infection in Australian Fur Seals

Lynch

Duignan

Taylor

et al. 2011

Journal of Wildlife Diseases

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ABSTRACT:Novel members of the bacterial genus Brucella have recently emerged as pathogens of various marine mammal species and as potential zoonotic agents. We investigated the epizootiology of Brucella infection in Australian fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) by establishing demographic and temporal variations in antibody prevalence, attempting isolation of the causative agent, and determining whether this potential pathogen is involved in frequent abortions observed in this pinniped species. Two competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (cELISAs), an indirect ELISA, and a fluorescence polarization assay (FPA) were used to test sera for Brucella antibodies. The FPA and cELISA proved suitable for use in this species. Significant differences in antibody prevalence were found between age classes of seals sampled between 2007 and 2009 at one colony. Pups sampled at this site (n5134) were negative for Brucella antibodies by all serologic tests but 17 of 45 (38%) of juveniles were antibody-positive. Antibody prevalence in adult females was significantly higher than in juveniles (P50.044). . Inflammatory lesions suggestive of infectious agents were found in 14 of 39 aborted Australian fur seal pups, but pathologic changes were not uniformly consistent for Brucella infection. Culture and PCR investigations on fetal tissues were negative for Brucella. Culture and PCR on selected fresh or frozen tissues from 36 juvenile and adult animals were also negative. We suspect that the prevalence of active infection with Brucella in Australian fur seals is low relative to antibody prevalence.

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“…10,29 In subsequent years, these pathogenic bacteria have been found to have worldwide distribution, with exposure to, or infection with, Brucella spp. documented in many cetacean, pinniped, and marine carnivore species.…”

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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Brucella species infection in sea-mammals

Cited by 157 publications

References 0 publications

From the discovery of the Malta fever?s agent to the discovery of a marine mammal reservoir, brucellosis has continuously been a re-emerging zoonosis

From the discovery of the Malta fever?s agent to the discovery of a marine mammal reservoir, brucellosis has continuously been a re-emerging zoonosis

Epizootiology of Brucella Infection in Australian Fur Seals

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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