Long-term and large-scale epidemiology of Brucella infectionin baleen whales and sperm whales in the western North Pacific and AntarcticOceans

Journal of Veterinary Medical Science

Erika ABE¹  Yoshihiro FUJISE²  Tadashi MARUYAMA¹  Takeharu BANDO²  Yasushi KAWAI¹  Kazue OHISHI¹ 

[1] Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), 2�?15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka, Kanagawa 237�?0061 Japan;Institute of Cetacean Research, 4�?5 Toyomi-cho, Cyuo-ku, Tokyo 104�?0055 Japan

关键词: antibody;    Brucella;    testis;    whale;   

DOI  :  10.1292/jvms.16-0076

学科分类：兽医学

来源: Japanese Society of Veterinary Science

【 摘 要 】

References(38)In a long-term, large-scale serologic study in the western North Pacific Ocean,anti-Brucella antibodies were detected in common minke whales(Balaenoptera acutorostrata) in the 1994�?2010 offshore surveys (21%,285/1353) and in the 2006�?2010 Japanese coastal surveys (20%, 86/436), in Bryde’s whales(B. edeni brydei) in the 2000�?2010 offshore surveys (9%, 49/542), insei whales (B. borealis) in the 2002�?2010 offshore surveys (5%, 40/788)and in sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) in the 2000�?2010 offshoresurveys (8%, 4/50). Anti-Brucella antibodies were not detected in 739Antarctic minke whales (B. bonaerensis) in the 2000�?2010 Antarcticsurveys. This suggests that Brucella was present in the four large whalepopulations inhabiting the western North Pacific, but not in the Antarctic minke whalepopulation. By PCR targeting for genes of outer membrane protein 2, theBrucella infection was confirmed in tissue DNA samples from Bryde’swhales (14%, 2/14), sei whales (11%, 1/9) and sperm whales (50%, 2/4). A placental tissueand an apparently healthy fetus from a sperm whale were found to be PCR-positive,indicating that placental transmission might have occurred and the newborn could act as abacterial reservoir. Marked granulomatous testes were observed only in mature animals ofthe three species of baleen whales in the western North Pacific offshore surveys,especially in common minke whales, and 29% (307/1064) of total mature males had abnormaltestes. This study provides an insight into the status of marine Brucellainfection at a global level.

【 授权许可】

Unknown