Meningoencephalitis and Arthritis Associated with Brucella ceti in a Short-beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis)

Abstract

ABSTRACT:Brucella species infection in marine mammal species has been reported to have a global distribution. In 2007, the description of Brucella ceti was published and formally adopted for those isolates originating from cetaceans and pathologic lesions similar to those seen in terrestrial mammals infected with Brucella spp. have been associated with its isolation. Brucella ceti infection specific to the central nervous system has been described in two species of cetacean: striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) in Europe and Costa Rica and an Atlantic white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus acutus) in the UK. We describe the first report, to our knowledge, of B. ceti-associated meningitis and arthritis in a third species, the shortbeaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), in an animal that stranded in the UK.

Fetal distress and in utero pneumonia in perinatal dolphins during the Northern Gulf of Mexico unusual mortality event

“…may cause placentitis and sporadic late-term abortion, and bacteria have been isolated from reproductive tract lesions (Miller et al 1999, Dagleish et al 2008, Guzmán-Verri et al 2012, Hernández-Mora et al 2013. Additional lesions associated with brucellosis in cetaceans include meningoencephalitis, osteomyelitis, and lung granulomas and abscesses (Dagleish et al 2008, Goertz et al 2011, Guzmán-Verri et al 2012, Cassle et al 2013, Davison et al 2013. A novel introduction of Brucella, an alteration of Brucella to increase its virulence, or point-source exposure of populations to Brucella have not been previously identified as causes of epizootics or perinatal die-offs in marine mammals.…”

Post-mortem findings in southern right whales Eubalaena australis at Península Valdés, Argentina, 2003-2012

“…and toxoplasmosis have been diagnosed in a variety of marine mammal species and are considered emerging diseases in cetaceans (Guzmán-Verri et al 2012, VanBressem et al 2014). Transmission of either organism can be vertical or horizontal, and infections can cause placentitis or late term abortion, as well as meningoencephalitis, meningitis, or pneumonia (Ohishi et al 2004, VanBressem et al 2009, Guzmán-Verri et al 2012, Davison et al 2013, West et al 2013. Similarities in disease presentation to brucellosis or toxoplasmosis in SRWs include death in a high number of young animals, in particular newborns and neonates, and pneumonia or meningitis in a few.…”

HELICOBACTER CETORUM INFECTION IN STRIPED DOLPHIN (STENELLA COERULEOALBA), ATLANTIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHIN (LAGENORHYNCHUS ACUTUS), AND SHORT-BEAKED COMMON DOLPHIN (DELPHINUS DELPHUS) FROM THE SOUTHWEST COAST OF ENGLAND

“…The death of common dolphin 2 was due to meningoencepahlitis and arthritis of the atlanto-occipital joint associated with Brucella ceti infection (Davison et al 2013). The cause of the death of the three remaining dolphins was starvation and hypothermia (Table 1).…”