Molecular, serological, pathological, immunohistochemical and microbiological investigation of<i>Brucella</i>spp. in marine mammals of Brazil reveals new cetacean hosts

Sánchez-Sarmiento, Angélica María; Carvalho, Vítor Luz; Díaz‐Delgado, Josué; Réssio, Rodrigo Albergaria; Fernandes, Natália Coelho Couto de Azevedo; Guerra, Juliana Mariotti; Sacristán, Carlos; Groch, Kátia R.; Silvestre-Perez, Natalia; Ferreira-Machado, Eduardo; Costa-Silva, Samira; Navas‐Suárez, Pedro Enrique; Meirelles, Ana Carolina Oliveira de; Favero, Cíntia Maria; Marigo, Juliana; Bertozzi, Carolina Pacheco; Colosio, Adriana Castaldo; Marcondes, Milton C. C.; Cremer, Marta Jussara; Silva, Nairléia dos Santos; Neto, José Soares Ferreira; Keid, Lara Borges; Soares, Rodrigo Martins; Sierra, Eva; Fernández, Antonio; Catão‐Dias, José Luiz

doi:10.1111/tbed.13203

Cited by 20 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 85 publications

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“…ceti infection was confirmed in juveniles. This observation seems to be in discordance with a study performed in striped dolphins stranded in Costa Rica [ 64 ], in which meningoencephalomyelitis was revealed in the same number of juveniles and adults that displayed neurological syndromes before death, as well as with a previous study in marine mammals stranded in Brazil [ 18 ]. Specifically, in a population made up of several cetacean species, the highest frequency of Brucella spp.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 87%

“…Moreover, in case 2, the finding of a generalized lymphoid depletion, described before in dolphins with brucellosis [18,64], suggests an immunocompromised host response, though the evidence of hepatocyte vacuolar degeneration could additionally make the effects of toxic environmental pollutants and/or an undisclosed viral infection other than DMV plausible.…”

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 69%

“…The occurrence of a variety of lesions caused by brucellosis in cetaceans, such as endometritis, placentitis, abortion, orchitis, mastitis, pneumonia, myocarditis, pericarditis, osteoarthritis, spinal discospondylitis, subcutaneous abscesses, hepatic, splenic or lymph node necrosis, macrophage infiltration in liver and spleen, and meningoencephalomyelitis has been demonstrated [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. However, compared with the reported high global seroprevalence of marine mammal Brucella spp.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Occurrence of Brucella ceti in striped dolphins from Italian Seas

et al. 2020

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Brucella ceti infections have been increasingly reported in cetaceans, although a very limited characterization of Mediterranean Brucella spp. isolates has been previously reported and relatively few data exist about brucellosis among cetaceans in Italy. To address this gap, we studied 8 cases of B. ceti infection in striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) stranded along the Italian coastline from 2012 to 2018, investigated thanks to the Italian surveillance activity on stranded cetaceans. We focused on cases of stranding in eastern and western Italian seas, occurred along the Apulia (N = 6), Liguria (N = 1) and Calabria (N = 1) coastlines, through the analysis of gross and microscopic findings, the results of microbiological, biomolecular and serological investigations, as well as the detection of other relevant pathogens. The comparative genomic analysis used whole genome sequences of B. ceti from Italy paired with the publicly available complete genomes. Pathological changes consistent with B. ceti infection were detected in the central nervous system of 7 animals, showing non-suppurative meningoencephalitis. In 4 cases severe coinfections were detected, mostly involving Dolphin Morbillivirus (DMV). The severity of B. ceti-associated lesions supports the role of this microbial agent as a primary neurotropic pathogen for striped dolphins. We classified the 8 isolates into the common sequence type 26 (ST-26). Whole genome SNP analysis showed that the strains from Italy clustered into two genetically distinct clades. The first clade comprised exclusively the isolates from Ionian and Adriatic Seas, while the second one included the strain from the Ligurian Sea and those from the Catalonian coast. Plotting these clades onto the geographic map suggests a link between their phylogeny and topographical distribution. These results represent the first extensive characterization of B. ceti isolated from Italian

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 87%

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 69%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Occurrence of Brucella ceti in striped dolphins from Italian Seas

et al. 2020

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“…Additionally, we detected a dolphin coinfected with Brucella sp., expanding the geographic range for this pathogen in South American marine mammals. 2,56,57 Additional confirmed bacterial coinfections were Klebsiella pneumoniae in mediastinal exudate and bronchial exudate of cases 1 and 29, respectively, and E. coli in bronchial exudate of case 25. The E. coli isolate was resistant to sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim combination and cephalexin.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 86%

The Pathology of Cetacean Morbillivirus Infection and Comorbidities in Guiana Dolphins During an Unusual Mortality Event (Brazil, 2017–2018)

et al. 2020

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Cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV; Paramyxoviridae) is the most significant pathogen of cetaceans worldwide. The novel “multi-host” Guiana dolphin ( Sotalia guianensis; GD)-CeMV strain is reported in South American waters and infects Guiana dolphins and southern right whales ( Eubalaena australis). This study aimed to describe the pathologic findings, GD-CeMV viral antigen distribution and detection by RT-PCR (reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction), and infectious comorbidities in 29 Guiana dolphins that succumbed during an unusual mass-mortality event in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, between November 2017 and March 2018. The main gross findings were lack of ingesta, pulmonary edema, ascites, icterus, hepatic lipidosis, multicentric lymphadenomegaly, as well as pneumonia, polyserositis, and multiorgan vasculitis caused by Halocercus brasiliensis. Microscopically, the primary lesions were bronchointerstitial pneumonia and multicentric lymphoid depletion. The severity and extent of the lesions paralleled the distribution and intensity of morbilliviral antigen. For the first time in cetaceans, morbilliviral antigen was detected in salivary gland, optic nerve, heart, diaphragm, parietal and visceral epithelium of glomeruli, vulva, and thyroid gland. Viral antigen within circulating leukocytes suggested this as a mechanism of dissemination within the host. Comorbidities included disseminated toxoplasmosis, mycosis, ciliated protozoosis, and bacterial disease including brucellosis. These results provide strong evidence for GD-CeMV as the main cause of this unusual mass-mortality event.

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“…2018; Sánchez‐Sarmiento et al. 2018, 2019). The aim of the present study was to expand the investigation of Brucella infection in cetaceans and manatees in other northeastern states of Brazil.…”

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confidence: 99%

Brucella Infection Investigation in Cetaceans and Manatees in Northeast Brazil

et al. 2021

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Among the bacterial infections that impair the health status of marine mammals, those caused by Brucella spp. are the most reported worldwide. Brucella infections in marine mammals can result in acute or chronic disease and are associated with variable clinical outcomes, depending on the organ involved during the infectious process, infection route, host immunity, and strain pathogenicity. Asymptomatic infections may also occur. The current study expands the investigation of Brucella infection in northeast Brazil by analyzing 19 dead, stranded cetaceans and 52 Antillean manatees Trichechus manatus manatus. The manatees included 8 dead, captive manatees and 44 live specimens, of which 10 were analyzed only after reintroduction into the wild as part of a rehabilitation program, 9 were analyzed both while in captivity or semi‐captivity and after reintroduction, 20 were sampled only in captivity or semi‐captivity, and 5 were free‐living manatees. Serological tests were used to screen for antibodies against smooth Brucella spp. Whole blood, swabs, and tissue samples were screened for Brucella spp. DNA by PCR. Samples with positive PCR results were cultured for Brucella spp. isolation. All manatees yielded negative results in serological and molecular tests. Brucella spp. DNA was detected in the kidney of one adult Guiana dolphin Sotalia guianensis exhibiting necrosis in the liver. No growth of Brucella spp. was observed via microbiological culturing. This study is the first report of Brucella spp. DNA detection in cetaceans in the state of Pernambuco, and it highlights the importance of conducting systematic monitoring for the presence of Brucella infection in marine mammals along the Brazilian coast, especially in the northeast region, where several cases have been reported.

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Molecular, serological, pathological, immunohistochemical and microbiological investigation ofBrucellaspp. in marine mammals of Brazil reveals new cetacean hosts

Cited by 20 publications

References 85 publications

Occurrence of Brucella ceti in striped dolphins from Italian Seas

Occurrence of Brucella ceti in striped dolphins from Italian Seas

The Pathology of Cetacean Morbillivirus Infection and Comorbidities in Guiana Dolphins During an Unusual Mortality Event (Brazil, 2017–2018)

Brucella Infection Investigation in Cetaceans and Manatees in Northeast Brazil

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