Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República (UdelaR), 11600 Montevideo, Uruguay.
Dis Aquat Organ. 2022 Jul 14;150:69-83. doi: 10.3354/dao03676.
Marine mammals, regarded as sentinels of aquatic ecosystem health, are exposed to different pathogens and parasites under natural conditions. We surveyed live South American fur seals Arctocephalus australis and South American sea lions Otaria flavescens in Uruguay for Leptospira spp., canine distemper virus (CDV), Mycobacterium spp., Toxoplasma gondii, and Neospora caninum. Samples were collected from 2007 to 2013. The seroprevalence of Leptospira spp. was 37.6% positive, 50.9% negative, and 11.5% suspect for A. australis (n = 61) while for O. flavescens (n = 12) it was 67% positive, 25% negative, and 8% suspect. CDV RNA was not detected in any of the analyzed samples. Most animals tested seropositive to tuberculosis antigens by WiZo ELISA (A. australis: 29/30; O. flavescens: 20/20); reactivity varied with a novel ELISA test (antigens MPB70, MPB83, ESAT6 and MPB59). Seroprevalence against N. caninum and T. gondii was 6.7 and 13.3% positive for O. flavescens and 0 and 2.2% positive for A. australis respectively. To evaluate possible sources of infection for pinnipeds, wild rats Rattus rattus and semi-feral cats Felis catus were also tested for Leptospira spp. and T. gondii respectively. Water samples tested for Leptospira revealed saprofitic L. bioflexa. Pathogenic Leptospira were detected in the kidneys of 2 rats, and cats tested positive for T. gondii (100%). These results represent a substantial contribution to the study of the health status of wild pinnipeds in Uruguay.
海洋哺乳动物被认为是水生生态系统健康的哨兵，它们在自然条件下会接触到不同的病原体和寄生虫。我们在乌拉圭调查了活体南美白对虾和南美白海狮，以检测钩端螺旋体病、犬瘟热病毒（CDV）、分枝杆菌、刚地弓形虫和新孢子虫。样本采集于 2007 年至 2013 年。南美白对虾的钩端螺旋体病血清阳性率为 37.6%，阴性率为 50.9%，疑似率为 11.5%（n = 61），而南美海狮的钩端螺旋体病血清阳性率为 67%，阴性率为 25%，疑似率为 8%（n = 12）。在分析的样本中均未检测到 CDV RNA。WiZo ELISA 检测到大多数动物对结核抗原呈血清阳性（A. australis：29/30；O. flavescens：20/20）；反应性因新型 ELISA 试验（MPB70、MPB83、ESAT6 和 MPB59 抗原）而异。O. flavescens 的新孢子虫和刚地弓形虫血清阳性率分别为 6.7%和 13.3%，A. australis 的新孢子虫和刚地弓形虫血清阳性率分别为 0%和 2.2%。为了评估海洋哺乳动物感染的可能来源，还对野生褐家鼠和半野生家猫进行了钩端螺旋体病和刚地弓形虫的检测。检测钩端螺旋体的水样显示出腐生性 L. bioflexa。在 2 只老鼠的肾脏中检测到致病性钩端螺旋体，猫的刚地弓形虫检测结果为阳性（100%）。这些结果为研究乌拉圭野生鳍足类动物的健康状况做出了重要贡献。
