Poster (Scientific congresses and symposiums)
WATER-BORNE EMERGING ZOONOSE? CASE REPORT ON ERYSIPELAS (ERYSIPELOTHRIX RHUSIOPATHIAE) IN HARBOUR PORPOISES (PHOCOENA PHOCOENA) AND HARBOUR SEAL (PHOCA VITULINA).
Boseret, Géraldine; Saegerman, Claude; Mainil, Jacques et al.
201226th Conference of European Cetacean Society
 

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Keywords :
zoonoses; erysipelothrix; marine mammals
Abstract :
[en] An adult female harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) and a juvenile male harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) have been found stranded dead on the Belgian coast in late 2001. As the two bodies were in good condition (CC = 2), necropsy and bacteriological analyses were performed as well as other postmortem investigations. Blood heart and organs (liver, digestive and respiratory tract, lungs, spleen, brain, kidneys) samples have been collected and analyzed. The porpoise showed evidence of septicaemia, and the seal presented lesions of acute enteritis. Pure and abundant growth of a small rod-shaped, Gram-labile bacterium was obtained aerobically and anaerobically on Columbia blood agar from heart blood, mouth, pharynx, lungs, intestine and anus of the porpoise, and from intestine, pharynx, mouth, nose and anus of the seal. The colonies were surrounded by a narrow zone of alpha-hemolysis. Catalase- and peroxydase-tests gave negative results. Rapid ID 32 Strepto (Biomérieux, France) sugar tests identified this isolate as Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae. E. rhusiopathiae could be therefore considered as the cause of septicaemia on the porpoise as it was present in heart blood and internal organs, and could be associated primary or secondary with the enteritis reported on the seal as the bacterium was isolated in pure culture in the digestive tract. E. rhusiopathiae infections have been reported in captive dolphins and sea lions. This zoonotic pathogen is also involved in human local infections, like the “seal finger”, resulting from captive pinnipeds bites. However, it has not been so far described as systemic pathogens of wild cetaceans and pinnipeds. E. rhusiopathiae could be therefore considered as a potentially emergent pathogen which could have important repercussions on human health, particularly veterinarians, marine mammals rescue teams and zoos.
Disciplines :
Microbiology
Veterinary medicine & animal health
Aquatic sciences & oceanology
Author, co-author :
Boseret, Géraldine ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des maladies infectieuses et parasitaires > Département des maladies infectieuses et parasitaires
Saegerman, Claude  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des maladies infectieuses et parasitaires > Epidémiologie et analyse des risques appl. aux sc. vétér.
Mainil, Jacques ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des maladies infectieuses et parasitaires > Bactériologie et pathologie des maladies bactériennes
Jauniaux, Thierry ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de morphologie et pathologie > Département de morphologie et pathologie
Language :
English
Title :
WATER-BORNE EMERGING ZOONOSE? CASE REPORT ON ERYSIPELAS (ERYSIPELOTHRIX RHUSIOPATHIAE) IN HARBOUR PORPOISES (PHOCOENA PHOCOENA) AND HARBOUR SEAL (PHOCA VITULINA).
Publication date :
26 March 2012
Number of pages :
A0
Event name :
26th Conference of European Cetacean Society
Event organizer :
ECS
Event place :
Galway, Ireland
Event date :
25-29 march 2012
Audience :
International
Available on ORBi :
since 11 August 2012

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