Tonu Nasrin Sultana, Hossain Anowar, Islam Sadequl, Debnath Bristi Kona
Upazila Livestock Office and Veterinary Hospital, Barura, Cumilla, Bangladesh.
Medical Center, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, Bangladesh.
Vet Med Sci. 2025 Sep;11(5):e70557. doi: 10.1002/vms3.70557.
Marine brucellosis, primarily caused by Brucella species, presents significant ecological and public health challenges, impacting marine biodiversity and posing zoonotic risks. Despite ongoing research, data on the disease's prevalence, host specificity and transmission within marine ecosystems remains limited, underscoring the need for comprehensive analysis.
This review assesses Brucella infection patterns in marine mammals, focusing on prevalence, species susceptibility and implications for conservation and health strategies.
We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis using PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus, covering studies from 2001 to 2024. Random-effects models were employed to analyse prevalence rates, transmission pathways and regional variations, accounting for high inter-study heterogeneity.
The analysis revealed substantial variation in Brucella detection rates, ranging from 0.25% to 100%, with an average pooled prevalence of approximately 30%. Species-specific susceptibility was identified, with cetaceans showing the highest infection rates (52%), followed by other marine mammals (30%) and pinnipeds (18%). High prevalence rates were observed in species such as striped dolphins and beluga whales, particularly in the Mediterranean and Arctic regions. Geographic patterns indicated Asia as the region with the highest prevalence (36%), followed by Oceania and Antarctica, suggesting environmental and population density factors may influence infection rates. Smaller studies displayed a tendency toward higher reported detection rates, indicating potential publication bias.
This meta-analysis underscores the widespread prevalence of Brucella in marine mammals and the pressing need for advanced diagnostics, strengthened surveillance and targeted interventions, particularly in high-risk regions and species. An interdisciplinary, collaborative approach including the development of molecular diagnostic tools and international research partnerships will be essential to support conservation efforts and mitigate zoonotic risks associated with marine brucellosis.
海洋布鲁氏菌病主要由布鲁氏菌属引起，带来了重大的生态和公共卫生挑战，影响海洋生物多样性并构成人畜共患病风险。尽管研究仍在进行，但关于该疾病在海洋生态系统中的流行情况、宿主特异性和传播的数据仍然有限，这凸显了进行全面分析的必要性。
本综述评估海洋哺乳动物中的布鲁氏菌感染模式，重点关注流行情况、物种易感性以及对保护和健康策略的影响。
我们使用PubMed、科学网和Scopus进行了系统综述和荟萃分析，涵盖2001年至2024年的研究。采用随机效应模型分析流行率、传播途径和区域差异，考虑到研究间的高度异质性。
分析显示布鲁氏菌检测率存在很大差异，范围从0.25%到100%，平均合并流行率约为30%。确定了物种特异性易感性，鲸类动物的感染率最高（52%），其次是其他海洋哺乳动物（30%）和鳍足类动物（18%）。在条纹海豚和白鲸等物种中观察到高流行率，特别是在地中海和北极地区。地理模式表明亚洲是流行率最高的地区（36%），其次是大洋洲和南极洲，这表明环境和种群密度因素可能影响感染率。规模较小的研究显示报告的检测率有更高的趋势，表明可能存在发表偏倚。
这项荟萃分析强调了布鲁氏菌在海洋哺乳动物中的广泛流行，以及迫切需要先进的诊断方法、加强监测和有针对性的干预措施，特别是在高风险地区和物种中。包括开发分子诊断工具和国际研究伙伴关系在内的跨学科协作方法对于支持保护工作和减轻与海洋布鲁氏菌病相关的人畜共患病风险至关重要。
