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ATTIA EL HILI H, MAATOUK K. [Zoonotic potential of brucellosis in marine mammals]. MEDECINE TROPICALE ET SANTE INTERNATIONALE 2024; 4:mtsi.v4i1.2024.489. [PMID: 38846127 PMCID: PMC11151931 DOI: 10.48327/mtsi.v4i1.2024.489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Brucellosis in marine mammals (cetacean and pinnipeds) has emerged in a very significant way during the last two decades. Currently Brucella ceti and Brucella pinnipedialis are the two recognized species in marine mammals, but available information is still limited. Several genotypes have been identified, and studies on the relationship between sequence type (ST) and organ pathogenicity or tropism have indicated differences in pathogenesis between B. ceti sequences in cetaceans. The zoonotic potential of this disease is based on the identification of the main sources of introduction and spread of Brucella spp. in the marine environment as well as on the factors of exposure of marine mammals and humans to the bacteria. Bibliographic review This article is a bibliographical review on marine mammal brucellosis, including the features, sources and transmission modes of each Brucella species, as well as their potential pathogenicity in animals and humans. Conclusion Different genotypes of marine Brucella spp have been isolated from marine mammal species but without any evidence of pathology induced by these bacteria. Associated lesions are variable and include subcutaneous abscesses, meningo-encephalomyelitis, pneumonia, myocarditis, osteoarthritis, orchitis, endometritis, placentitis and abortion. The isolation of marine B. spp from marine mammal respiratory parasites associated to lung injury has raised the intriguing possibility that they may serve as a vector for the transmission of this bacterium.The severity of marine B. spp remains unknown due to the lack of an estimate of the prevalence of this disease in marine mammals. The number of suspected human cases is still very limited. However, by analogy with other germs of the genus Brucella responsible for abortion in ruminants and for a febrile and painful state in human beings, prevention measures are essential. The significant increase in the number of strandings coupled with a high seroprevalence in certain species of marine mammals must be considered for people in direct or indirect contact with these animals. Ongoing epidemiological monitoring combined with extensive post-mortem examinations (necropsy, bacteriology and sequencing) of all species of stranded marine mammals would deepen knowledge on the zoonotic potential of marine Brucella species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kaouthar MAATOUK
- Institut national des sciences et technologies de la mer, Monastir, Tunisie
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Curtiss JB, Colegrove KM, Dianis A, Kinsel MJ, Ahmed N, Fauquier D, Rowles T, Niemeyer M, Rotstein DS, Maddox CW, Terio KA. Brucella ceti sequence type 23, 26, and 27 infections in North American cetaceans. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2022; 148:57-72. [PMID: 35200159 DOI: 10.3354/dao03644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Brucella ceti infection is associated with a variety of disease outcomes in cetaceans globally. Multiple genotypes of B. ceti have been identified. This retrospective aimed to determine if specific lesions were associated with different B. ceti DNA sequence types (STs). Characterization of ST was performed on 163 samples from 88 free-ranging cetaceans, including common bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus (T.t.; n = 73), common short-beaked dolphin Delphinus delphis (D.d.; n = 7), striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba (n = 3), Pacific white-sided dolphin Lagenorhynchus obliquidens (n = 2), sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus (n = 2), and harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena (n = 1), that stranded along the coast of the US mainland and Hawaii. ST was determined using a previously described insertion sequence 711 quantitative PCR. Concordance with 9-locus multi-locus sequence typing was assessed in a subset of samples (n = 18). ST 26 was most commonly identified in adult dolphins along the US east coast with non-suppurative meningoencephalitis (p = 0.009). Animals infected with ST 27 were predominately perinates that were aborted or died shortly after birth with evidence of in utero pneumonia (p = 0.035). Reproductive tract inflammation and meningoencephalitis were also observed in adult T.t. and D.d. with ST 27, though low sample size limited interpretation. ST 23 infections can cause disease in cetacean families other than porpoises (Phocoenidae), including neurobrucellosis in D.d. In total, 11 animals were potentially infected with multiple STs. These data indicate differences in pathogenesis among B. ceti STs in free-ranging cetaceans, and infection with multiple STs is possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey B Curtiss
- Zoological Pathology Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Brookfield, IL 60513, USA
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Sierra E, Fernández A, Felipe-Jiménez I, Zucca D, Di Francesco G, Díaz-Delgado J, Sacchini S, Rivero MA, Arbelo M. Neurobrucellosis in a common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) stranded in the Canary Islands. BMC Vet Res 2019; 15:353. [PMID: 31638986 PMCID: PMC6805616 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-019-2089-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Brucella spp. isolation is increasingly reported in cetaceans, although associated pathologies, including lesions of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems, are less frequently described. Concerning the nervous system, Brucella sp. infection causing meningitis, meningoencephalitis or meningoencephalomyelitis have been extensively reported in striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba), and less frequently in other cetacean species. Case presentation A juvenile female common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) was found stranded alive in Lanzarote (Canary Islands, Spain) in 2005, but died shortly after. On physical examination, the dolphin showed a moderate body condition and was classified as code 2 (fresh dead) at the time of necropsy. The main gross findings were severe multiorgan parasitism, thickened and congested leptomeninges, and (sero)fibrino-suppurative and proliferative arthritis of the shoulder joint. Histopathological examination revealed the distinct features of a sub-acute systemic disease associated with Cetacean Morbillivirus (CeMV) infection. However, brain lesions diverged from those reported in systemic CeMV infection. This led to suspect that there was a coinfecting pathogen, based on the characteristics of the inflammatory response and the lesion distribution pattern in the central nervous system. Brucella sp. was detected in the brain tissue by PCR and Brucella antigen was demonstrated by immunohistochemistry in the brain and shoulder joint lesions. Conclusions The zoonotic potential of marine mammal strains of Brucella has been demonstrated both in natural and laboratory conditions. In this study, PCR detected Brucella sp. in the brain of a common bottlenose dolphin stranded in the Canary Islands; the dolphin was also co-infected with CeMV. This is the first detection of Brucella sp. infection in a stranded cetacean in this archipelago. Therefore, we stress the importance of taking adequate measures during the handling of these species to prevent the transmissions of the infection to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Sierra
- Division of Histology and Animal Pathology, Institute for Animal Health and Food Security (IUSA), Veterinary School, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35416, Arucas, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Antonio Fernández
- Division of Histology and Animal Pathology, Institute for Animal Health and Food Security (IUSA), Veterinary School, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35416, Arucas, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain.
| | - Idaira Felipe-Jiménez
- Division of Histology and Animal Pathology, Institute for Animal Health and Food Security (IUSA), Veterinary School, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35416, Arucas, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Daniele Zucca
- Division of Histology and Animal Pathology, Institute for Animal Health and Food Security (IUSA), Veterinary School, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35416, Arucas, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Gabriella Di Francesco
- National and international Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Abruzzo e Molise, Teramo, Italy
| | - Josué Díaz-Delgado
- Division of Histology and Animal Pathology, Institute for Animal Health and Food Security (IUSA), Veterinary School, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35416, Arucas, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain.,Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL), College Station, TX, USA
| | - Simona Sacchini
- Division of Histology and Animal Pathology, Institute for Animal Health and Food Security (IUSA), Veterinary School, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35416, Arucas, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Miguel A Rivero
- Division of Histology and Animal Pathology, Institute for Animal Health and Food Security (IUSA), Veterinary School, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35416, Arucas, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Manuel Arbelo
- Division of Histology and Animal Pathology, Institute for Animal Health and Food Security (IUSA), Veterinary School, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35416, Arucas, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain
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Kim KT, Lee SH, Kwak D. Identification of Moraxella lacunata from pulmonary abscesses in three zoo herbivores. J Vet Med Sci 2018; 80:1914-1917. [PMID: 30369588 PMCID: PMC6305504 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.18-0455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Although Moraxella lacunata causes conjunctivitis, keratitis,
endocarditis, and otolaryngitis in humans, its infection is rare in animals. We report
three cases of asymptomatic pulmonary abscesses caused by M. lacunata in
zoo herbivores, including two elks (Cervus canadensis) and a common eland
(Taurotragus oryx). In all cases, macroscopic findings included
coalescence of lung lobes and severe pulmonary abscesses filled with cheese-like materials
in cysts. Microscopic findings included pneumonia characterized by marked fibrin exudates
in alveolar spaces and infiltration of inflammatory cells. M. lacunata
was identified in bacterial cultures from pulmonary abscesses using biochemical API 20NE
system. M. lacunata is rarely isolated from zoo animals; however, herein,
we describe the first report of pulmonary abscesses caused by M. lacunata
infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyoo-Tae Kim
- Animal Health Center of Zoo Land, Daejeon O-World Theme Park, Daejeon 35073, Korea
| | - Seung-Hun Lee
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea.,National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
| | - Dongmi Kwak
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea
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Elfadl AK, Lee SW, Kim JH, Lee KL, Arif Ullah HM, Chung MJ, Ghim SG, Lee EJ, Kim YD, Kim SM, Jeon SG, Lim JH, Choi HJ, Park JK, Jeong KS. Fatal fibrino-hemorrhagic bronchopneumonia associated with Morganella morganii in a bottlenose dolphin: a case report. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2017; 127:41-47. [PMID: 29256426 DOI: 10.3354/dao03184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
A 5 yr old, 184 kg, and 262 cm total length female bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus was found dead in a display after bloody discharge from the blowhole was observed 3 h prior to death. Pathological examination revealed fibrinous bronchopneumonia with prominent areas of necrosis (sequestra) and numerous Gram-negative bacilli within alveoli and in blood vessels of the lungs and liver and between muscle fibers. The cause of death was attributed to septicemia. Often, cases of fibrinous bronchopneumonia are characterized by bacteremia in the latter stages of infection, resulting in the death of the animal. Septicemia likely accounts for the ecchymoses and petechiae noted on the spleen, pancreas, forestomach, lungs, visceral peritoneum, and small intestine. Additional lesions included hemothorax, stable red frothy fluid in the trachea, and lymphoid depletion in the spleen and lymph nodes. Pure growth of Morganella morganii was isolated from the lungs, blood, liver, and blowhole mucosa. Sequencing of 16s rRNA of the isolated bacteria showed more than 99.6% identity with M. morganii strain FDAARGOS_172. To our knowledge, this is the first report of fatal fibrinonecrotizing bronchopneumonia associated with M. morganii infection in a cetacean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed K Elfadl
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Republic of Korea
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Colegrove KM, Venn-Watson S, Litz J, Kinsel MJ, Terio KA, Fougeres E, Ewing R, Pabst DA, McLellan WA, Raverty S, Saliki J, Fire S, Rappucci G, Bowen-Stevens S, Noble L, Costidis A, Barbieri M, Field C, Smith S, Carmichael RH, Chevis C, Hatchett W, Shannon D, Tumlin M, Lovewell G, McFee W, Rowles TK. Fetal distress and in utero pneumonia in perinatal dolphins during the Northern Gulf of Mexico unusual mortality event. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2016; 119:1-16. [PMID: 27068499 DOI: 10.3354/dao02969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
An unusual mortality event (UME) involving primarily common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus of all size classes stranding along coastal Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, USA, started in early 2010 and continued into 2014. During this northern Gulf of Mexico UME, a distinct cluster of perinatal dolphins (total body length <115 cm) stranded in Mississippi and Alabama during 2011. The proportion of annual dolphin strandings that were perinates between 2009 and 2013 were compared to baseline strandings (2000-2005). A case-reference study was conducted to compare demographics, histologic lesions, and Brucella sp. infection prevalence in 69 UME perinatal dolphins to findings from 26 reference perinates stranded in South Carolina and Florida outside of the UME area. Compared to reference perinates, UME perinates were more likely to have died in utero or very soon after birth (presence of atelectasis in 88 vs. 15%, p < 0.0001), have fetal distress (87 vs. 27%, p < 0.0001), and have pneumonia not associated with lungworm infection (65 vs. 19%, p = 0.0001). The percentage of perinates with Brucella sp. infections identified via lung PCR was higher among UME perinates stranding in Mississippi and Alabama compared to reference perinates (61 vs. 24%, p = 0.01), and multiple different Brucella omp genetic sequences were identified in UME perinates. These results support that from 2011 to 2013, during the northern Gulf of Mexico UME, bottlenose dolphins were particularly susceptible to late-term pregnancy failures and development of in utero infections including brucellosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen M Colegrove
- Zoological Pathology Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Maywood, IL 60153
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