Jensen Silje-Kristin, Nymo Ingebjørg Helena, Forcada Jaume, Hall Ailsa, Godfroid Jacques
Section for Arctic Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Stakkevollveien 23, 9010 Tromsø, Norway; member of the Fram Centre - High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment, 9296 Tromsø, Norway.
Dis Aquat Organ. 2013 Sep 3;105(3):175-81. doi: 10.3354/dao02633.
Brucellosis is a worldwide infectious zoonotic disease caused by Gram-negative bacteria of the genus Brucella, and Brucella infections in marine mammals were first reported in 1994. A serosurvey investigating the presence of anti-Brucella antibodies in 3 Antarctic pinniped species was undertaken with a protein A/G indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA) and the Rose Bengal test (RBT). Serum samples from 33 Weddell seals Leptonychotes weddelli were analysed, and antibodies were detected in 8 individuals (24.2%) with the iELISA and in 21 (65.6%) with the RBT. We tested 48 southern elephant seal Mirounga leonina sera and detected antibodies in 2 animals (4.7%) with both the iELISA and the RBT. None of the 21 Antarctic fur seals Arctocephalus gazella was found positive. This is the first report of anti-Brucella antibodies in southern elephant seals. The potential impact of Brucella infection in pinnipeds in Antarctica is not known, but Brucella spp. are known to cause abortion in terrestrial species and cetaceans. Our findings suggest that Brucella infection in pinnipeds is present in the Antarctic, but to date B. pinnipedialis has not been isolated from any Antarctic pinniped species, leaving the confirmation of infection pending.
布鲁氏菌病是一种由布鲁氏菌属革兰氏阴性细菌引起的全球性人畜共患传染病，海洋哺乳动物中的布鲁氏菌感染于1994年首次报道。采用蛋白A/G间接酶联免疫吸附测定（iELISA）和虎红试验（RBT）对3种南极鳍足类动物中抗布鲁氏菌抗体的存在情况进行了血清学调查。分析了33只韦德尔氏海豹（Leptonychotes weddelli）的血清样本，iELISA检测出8只个体（24.2%）有抗体，RBT检测出21只个体（65.6%）有抗体。我们检测了48份南象海豹（Mirounga leonina）血清，iELISA和RBT均检测出2只动物（4.7%）有抗体。21只南极毛皮海狮（Arctocephalus gazella）均未检测出阳性。这是南象海豹中抗布鲁氏菌抗体的首次报道。布鲁氏菌感染对南极鳍足类动物的潜在影响尚不清楚，但已知布鲁氏菌属会导致陆生物种和鲸类动物流产。我们的研究结果表明，南极鳍足类动物存在布鲁氏菌感染，但迄今为止尚未从任何南极鳍足类动物物种中分离出海豹布鲁氏菌，感染的确认仍有待确定。
