New insights into the pathogenesis and transmission of Brucella pinnipedialis: systemic infection in two bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus)
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Date
2023
Authors
Vargas Castro, IgnacioCRESPO PICAZO, JOSE LUIS
Fayos, Manena
Jiménez Martínez, María de los Ángeles
Torre Fuentes, Laura
Alvarez, Julio
Moura, André E.
Hernandez, Marta
Buendía, Aranzazu
Barroso Arévalo, Sandra
García Seco, Teresa
Pérez Sancho, Marta
Miguel López, María Jesús de
Andrés Barranco, Sara
Marco Cabedo, Vicente
Peñin Villahoz, Gaizka
Muñoz Álvaro, Pilar María
Dominguez, Lucas
García Párraga, Daniel
Sánchez Vizcaíno, José Manuel
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Abstract
The emergence of Brucella infections in marine mammals is a growing concern. The present study reports two cases of systemic Brucella pinnipedialis infection detected in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) pair stranded together in the Cantabrian coast of Spain. Both animals showed systemic lesions associated with the Brucella infection, more severe in the younger dolphin, considered the likely offspring of the other individual. Real-time PCR, bacterial culture, and whole-genome sequencing were used to detect and characterize the Brucella strains involved in both dolphins. The phylogenetic analysis performed on the Brucella genomes retrieved revealed that the species involved was B. pinnipedialis (ST25). Both animals resulted seropositive in a commercial multispecies blocking ELISA but tested negative in the standard Rose Bengal test. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a systemic infection resulting in various lesions associated with Brucella pinnipedialis (ST25) in two bottlenose dolphins. It is also the initial isolation of Brucella in the milk of a non-pregnant or non-aborting female cetacean likely stranded with its offspring. These findings provide new insights into the epidemiology and clinical impact of B. pinnipedialis infection in cetaceans and underscore the importance of continued diagnostic surveillance to gain better understanding of brucellosis effects and transmission in marine mammal populations.
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Microbiology Spectrum, 2023, e01997-23-NA
AGROVOC subjects
LecheBrucella
Delfín
Mamíferos marinos
Infección
Vigilancia de enfermedades
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Sponsorship
Este trabajo ha contado con el apoyo de un convenio de colaboración entre la Fundación Oceanogràfic (Valencia), la Consejería de Medio Rural, Ganadería, Pesca, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente del Gobierno de Cantabria y el Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET) de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Este convenio permite la recogida de muestras de cadáveres de cetáceos varados y aporta fondos para la realización de estudios post-mortem.
Ignacio Vargas-Castro es beneficiario de una beca FPU del Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades.
El trabajo del CITA fue apoyado por el Gobierno de Aragón (Grupo de Investigación A21_23R). André E. Moura recibió el apoyo del Centro Nacional de Ciencia de Polonia (beca de investigación Sonata 2018/31/D/NZ8/02835) y de la Agencia Nacional Polaca de Intercambio Académico (programa NAWA Ulam PPN/ ULM/2019/1/00162).