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Isolation of Brucella species from a live-stranded striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) in Spain

BRUCELLOSIS affects human beings and a wide range of animal species, including marine mammals. The disease in marine mammals was first recognised in 1994, when organisms resembling Brucella species were isolated from free-ranging seals and cetaceans (Ewalt and others 1994, Ross and others 1994). Infections of cetaceans, seals and otters (Foster and others 1996, Van Bressem and others 2001) are now well documented, providing evidence that disease due to Brucella species is highly prevalent in most seas around the world. By contrast, few studies have established a direct relationship between Brucella species infection in marine mammals and pathological changes, including placentitis, abortion, blubber abscesses and chronic meningoencephalitis (Miller and others 1999, Patterson and others 2000, Gonzalez and others 2002). This short communication describes the first known case in Spain of Brucella species infection in a striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba). An adult, female striped dolphin, 166 cm in length, was live-stranded on June 23, 2004, in the Cantabric Sea (Cuchia beach, Cantabria). Records of stranded animals in Cantabria during the past century indicate that 22 per cent of stranding were dolphins of this species, which is abundant in this region. The animal was still alive and apparently not disorientated when the technicians arrived to attempt to return it to deep water. The beach was well protected, and there were no sea currents forcing the stranding. Despite several attempts, the animal refused to move to open waters and always returned to the sand, and eventually died during transportation. The dolphin had a normal external appearance, showing only excoriations, several minor (2 to 3 cm) cuts and one severe ulceration on the muzzle, containing several Cyamus balaenopteridae parasites. The only gross lesions observed were hyperaemia and several white, firm nodules, approximately 2 mm in diameter, scattered throughout the lungs. The digestive tract was empty and the animal showed clear signs of starvation. A sample of serum was tested by the standard rose Bengal agglutination test for brucellosis (Alton and others 1988), and gave a positive result. Samples of lungs, brainstem, cerebellum, uterus, spleen, and cranial and mammary lymph nodes were taken for bacteriological or pathological studies. Portions of the lungs, brainstem and cerebellum were fixed in formalin, embedded in paraffin, sectioned and stained with haematoxylin and eosin by routine procedures for pathological examination. Bronchiolar microcalcifications and small aggregates of leucocytes were evident in the peribronchiolar connective tissue. Fibromuscular hyperplasia of alveolar septa and areas of atelectasis were observed in the lung parenchyma. Several eosinophilic granulomas, containing neutrophils, eosinophils and a few macrophages and associated with parasites (probably Pseudalius inflexus lungworms), were also observed. Most of these lesions are the consequence of infestations with parasites, and have been reported previously in seals infected with Brucella species (Garner and others 1997). Although no specific studies were performed in the present case, Brucella species organisms have previously been identified within the uterus of Parafilaroides species lungworms, and a potential role for these parasites in transmitting brucellosis cannot be ruled out (Garner and others 1997). The main lesions in the central nervous system were multifocal haemorrhage, multifocal or diffuse microgliosis, and perivascular cuffing with lymphocytes and plasmocytes. Perivascular necrotic foci with macrophages, gitter cells and lymphocytes were also present (Fig 1a). Most of the lesions appeared to be angiocentric and were essentially located in Agglutination Growth in Growth in Requirement for with serum thionin fuchsin Strain carbon dioxide anti-A anti-M 10 μg 20 μg 10 μg 20 μg