Miller W G, Adams L G, Ficht T A, Cheville N F, Payeur J P, Harley D R, House C, Ridgway S H
Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, California 92152-6266, USA.
J Zoo Wildl Med. 1999 Mar;30(1):100-10.
Two bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) aborted fetuses that died as a result of Brucella infection. Brucella placentitis occurred in both cases. Infected placenta and vaginal/uterine fluids may transmit Brucella species to other cetaceans. In a third case, an identical organism was cultured from lung necropsy tissue of an adult female T. truncatus. Microbiology, specific polymerase chain reaction, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis results supported the designation of an additional genomic group(s), Brucella delphini, for isolates adapted to T. truncatus. Current serologic diagnostic tests reliable for known Brucella species are unreliable in detecting dolphin brucellosis. Our findings, together with previous reports, suggest that dolphin brucellosis is a naturally occurring disease that can adversely impact reproduction in cetaceans. The zoonotic significance of cetacean brucellosis is unknown, although the disease has not been reported in people who have frequent contact with dolphins. Further studies on the zoonotic aspects, distribution, prevalence, virulence, and impact of this disease in cetaceans and other marine mammal species are needed.
两头宽吻海豚（瓶鼻海豚）流产的胎儿因布鲁氏菌感染而死亡。两例均发生了布鲁氏菌胎盘炎。受感染的胎盘以及阴道/子宫分泌物可能会将布鲁氏菌属传播给其他鲸类动物。在第三个案例中，从一头成年雌性宽吻海豚的肺尸检组织中培养出了相同的微生物。微生物学、特异性聚合酶链反应和脉冲场凝胶电泳结果支持将适应宽吻海豚的分离株归为另一个基因组群——海豚布鲁氏菌。目前对已知布鲁氏菌属可靠的血清学诊断检测方法在检测海豚布鲁氏菌病时并不可靠。我们的研究结果以及之前的报告表明，海豚布鲁氏菌病是一种自然发生的疾病，会对鲸类动物的繁殖产生不利影响。鲸类布鲁氏菌病的人畜共患病意义尚不清楚，尽管在经常接触海豚的人群中尚未报告过该疾病。需要进一步研究该疾病在鲸类动物和其他海洋哺乳动物物种中的人畜共患病方面、分布、患病率、毒力及影响。
