Isolation and Characterization of Campylobacter spp. from Antarctic Fur Seals ( Arctocephalus gazella ) at Deception Island, Antarctica

Abstract

The presence of Campylobacter spp. was investigated in 41 Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) and 9 Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) at Deception Island, Antarctica. Infections were encountered in six Antarctic fur seals. The isolates, the first reported from marine mammals in the Antarctic region, were identified as Campylobacter insulaenigrae and Campylobacter lari.The Antarctic and sub-Antarctic regions are often regarded as pristine landscapes, unaffected by human activity. A limited number of surveys have been carried out to investigate the possible occurrence of zoonotic enteropathogens and if certain bacteria could be used as tools for evaluating biological pollution in this area (4, 11). In the case of Campylobacter species, there have been only three reports in the literature, but in all of them Campylobacter was isolated from marine seabirds but not from marine mammals. Campylobacter jejuni was isolated in Antarctic and sub-Antarctic areas from Macaroni penguins (Eudyptes chrysolophus) (4), and Campylobacter lari was isolated from Brown skuas, South Polar skuas, and Adelie penguins (2, 11).Reports of Campylobacter species isolated from marine mammals are rare. Campylobacter insulaenigrae was isolated from three harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) and a harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in Scotland (7). The isolation of C. jejuni, C. lari, and an unknown Campylobacter species from juvenile northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) in California was also reported (22). Finally, 71 isolates of C. insulaenigrae and 1 isolate similar to but distinct from both Campylobacter upsaliensis and Campylobacter helveticus were isolated from northern elephant seals in California (23). In the South Georgia Archipelago, fecal swabs were taken from 206 Antarctic fur seal pups, but no isolates could be obtained (4). In this study, we successfully isolated C. lari from 7.3% of Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) sampled and C. insulaenigrae from a further 7.3%. On the other hand, Campylobacter was not detected in the nine Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) sampled. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the isolation of C. lari and C. insulaenigrae from marine mammals in the Antarctic region.Fieldwork was conducted at Deception Island (latitude of 62°58ЈS and longitude of 60°40ЈW), in the South Shetland Islands. During January to February 2007, Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) and Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) were captured and fecal samples were collected by insertion of sterile cotton wool swabs into the rectum of the marine mammals. A total of 41 Antarctic fur seals and 9 Weddell seals were sampled. The distribution by ages was of 7 adults (over 4 years of age with breeding activity), 19 subadults (2 to 4 years of age), and 15 juvenile Antarctic fur seals (less than 2 years of age), and 8 adult Weddell seals and 1 juvenile. All animals presented a good body condition and showed no symptoms at the time of sampling.Three swabs were taken from each animal and wer...

Evidence of land‐sea transfer of the zoonotic pathogen Campylobacter to a wildlife marine sentinel species

“…), the Antarctic fur seal ( Arctocephalus gazella ) and the Weddell seal ( Leptonychotes weddellii ) (Garcia‐Pena et al . ), and the present study represents the first isolation of C. jejuni , C. coli or C. lari in the grey seal. The lack of C. insulaenigrae , a putative marine mammal‐specific species of Campylobacter (Foster et al .…”

Comparative Genomics of the Campylobacter lari Group

“…Other members of the C. lari group are also isolated from gulls (UPTC, C. volucris [ Kaneko et al 1999 ; Debruyne et al 2010b ]) and other shorebirds, such as plovers, redshanks, dunlins, sandpipers, skuas, albatrosses, and penguins ( C. lari , UPTC, C. subantarcticus [ Waldenstrom et al 2002 , 2007 ; Leotta et al 2006 ; Debruyne et al 2010a ; Ryu et al 2014 ]). The C. lari group strains are also isolated from marine mammals ( C. insulaenigrae , C. lari [ Foster et al 2004 ; Stoddard et al 2007 ; Garcia-Pena et al 2010 ; Gonzalez et al 2011 ]), shellfish ( C. lari , C. peloridis [ Endtz et al 1997 ; Van Doorn et al 1998 ; Debruyne et al 2009 ]), and seawater/fresh water ( C. lari , UPTC [ Obiri-Danso and Jones 1999 ; Obiri-Danso et al 2001 ; Meinersmann et al 2013 ; Khan et al 2014 ]). Even though members of the C. lari group have been isolated from livestock ( Tresierra-Ayala et al 1994 ; Aarestrup et al 1997 ; Harvey et al 1999 ; Scanlon et al 2013 ), this clade is primarily associated with coastal regions and watersheds.…”

Treatment and prevention of infection following bites of the Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella)

“…Strains of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae , Micrococcus sp., and Bisgaardia hudsonensis have each been isolated from infected seal bites, while Vibrio , Pseudomonas , and Mycobacterium are commonly reported in bites inflicted by other marine animals. 12 , 14 , 15 , 17 , 21 , 22 The zoonotic potential of viruses has also been confirmed in the case of a patient who developed an orf-like sealpox lesion caused by a member of the family Parapoxviridae following a definite bite by a young gray seal ( Halichoerus grypus ) treated by Clark et al 13 Infection of seal bites by these microorganisms, along with enteric Campylobacter insulaenigrae and Campylobacter lari isolated from fecal samples of asymptomatic fur seals, may also reflect significant anthropogenic “microbial pollution.” 23 …”