Potential histological and macroscopic lesions of a Brucella pinnipedialis infection in the Harbour seal

Abstract

Bacteria of the Genus Brucella are gram-negative, non-motile and facultative intracellular (1,2,3). In 1994 a new Brucella sp. was isolated from a harbour seal, later named Brucella pinnipedialis (12). So far there is little known about B. pinnipedialis (2,5, 6, 11). The aim of this study was to investigate whether B. pinnipedialis infection could elicit pathological lesions in the harbour seal. Therefore organ samples of stranded harbour seals (n=38 of which juvenile male = 15, juvenile female = 16, adult female = 7) were taken during necropsy. For transport they were frozen en later defrosted when necropsy could take place.Lung, spleen, liver, pulmonary lnn., reproductive tract and kidney were macroscopically, bacteriological and histological examined. In this study a B.pinnipedialis infection was determined in 28,9% of the investigated seals. No B.pinnipedials associated pathology was established, but the highest percentage of pathological change was found in the animals positive for B. pinnipedialis. This suggest that B. pinnipedialis might be of influence on eliciting lesions. Further research is necessary to determine the magnitude of this influence. In future research fresh animals that are less putrefied and not been frozen have the preference. Artifacts can so be avoided making the results more reliable. The zoonotic potential of B. pinnipedialis seems to be low,but human infection has been reported so it is possible.