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Brucella ceti infection in dolphins from the Western Mediterranean sea.

Brucella ceti infection in dolphins from the Western Mediterranean sea.

Authors :
Isidoro-Ayza, Marcos
Ruiz-Villalobos, Nazareth
Pérez, Lola
Guzmán-Verri, Caterina
Muñoz, Pilar M.
Alegre, Fernando
Barberán, Montserrat
Chacón-Díaz, Carlos
Chaves-Olarte, Esteban
González-Barrientos, Rocio
Moreno, Edgardo
Blasco, José María
Domingo, Mariano
Source :
BMC Veterinary Research. 10/1/2014, Vol. 10 Issue 1, p1-24. 24p.
Publication Year :
2014

Abstract

Background Brucella ceti infections have been increasingly reported in cetaceans. Brucellosis in these animals is associated with meningoencephalitis, abortion, discospondylitis', subcutaneous abscesses, endometritis and other pathological conditions B. ceti infections have been frequently described in dolphins from both, the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. In the Mediterranean Sea, only two reports have been made: one from the Italian Tyrrhenian Sea and the other from the Adriatic Sea. Results We describe the clinical and pathological features of three cases of B. ceti infections in three dolphins stranded in the Mediterranean Catalonian coast. One striped dolphin had neurobrucellosis, showing lethargy, incoordination and lateral swimming due to meningoencephalitis, A B. ceti infected bottlenose dolphin had discospondylitis, and another striped dolphin did not show clinical signs or lesions related to Brucella infection. A detailed characterization of the three B. ceti isolates was performed by bacteriological, molecular, protein and fatty acid analyses. Conclusions All the B. ceti strains originating from Mediterranean dolphins cluster together in a distinct phylogenetic clade, close to that formed by B. ceti isolates from dolphins inhabiting the Atlantic Ocean. Our study confirms the severity of pathological signs in stranded dolphins and the relevance of B. ceti as a pathogen in the Mediterranean Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
17466148
Volume :
10
Issue :
1
Database :
Academic Search Index
Journal :
BMC Veterinary Research
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
98704076
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-014-0206-7