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Freddi L, de la Garza-García JA, Al Dahouk S, Occhialini A, Köhler S. Brucella spp. are facultative anaerobic bacteria under denitrifying conditions. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0276723. [PMID: 37882559 PMCID: PMC10714718 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02767-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Respiration is a fundamental and complex process that bacteria use to produce energy. Despite aerobic respiration being the most common, some bacteria make use of a mode of respiration in the absence of oxygen, called anaerobic respiration, which can yield advantages in adaptation to various environmental conditions. Denitrification is part of this respiratory process ensuring higher respiratory flexibility under oxygen depletion. Here, we report for the first time the evidence of anaerobic growth of Brucella spp. under denitrifying conditions, which implies that this genus should be reconsidered as facultative anaerobic. Our study further describes that efficient denitrification is not equally found within the Brucella genus, with atypical species showing a greater ability to denitrify, correlated with higher expression of the genes involved, as compared to classical species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Freddi
- Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier (IRIM), CNRS, University of Montpellier, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Jorge A. de la Garza-García
- Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier (IRIM), CNRS, University of Montpellier, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Sascha Al Dahouk
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Berlin, Germany
- German Environment Agency, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alessandra Occhialini
- Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier (IRIM), CNRS, University of Montpellier, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Stephan Köhler
- Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier (IRIM), CNRS, University of Montpellier, INSERM, Montpellier, France
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2
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Hubálek Z, Křivanová A, Nesvadbová J, Rudolf I. Zoonotic Potential of Brucella microti. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2023. [PMID: 37367199 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2022.0085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Brucella microti is a pathogen of rodents and wild mammals. Here, we report the first probable infection with B. microti in a mammalogist. Methods: In the study, we provided complete clinical description as well as laboratory analysis of probable human infection caused by B. microti. Results: Considering the clinical course of the infection, the obvious epidemiological link (a bite by an infected rodent), the isolation of a pathogen from a sick vole that was affected by clinical infection with B. microti, and the specific serological response (slow agglutination test) in human patient, we can conclude that the human disease described here was probably caused by B. microti, an emerging bacterial pathogen transmitted by rodents. Conclusion: Rodents and other wildlife need to be monitored not only for established zoonotic agents such as hantaviruses, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, Leptospira spp., Francisella tularensis, but also for Brucella microti and other atypical rodent-borne brucellae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zdenek Hubálek
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Andrea Křivanová
- The 2nd Internal Hematooncological Department, Faculty Hospital Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiřina Nesvadbová
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ivo Rudolf
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
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Scholz HC, Heckers KO, Appelt S, Geier-Dömling D, Schlegel P, Wattam AR. Isolation of Brucella inopinata from a White's tree frog ( Litoria caerulea): pose exotic frogs a potential risk to human health? Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1173252. [PMID: 37362939 PMCID: PMC10285381 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1173252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Cold-blooded hosts, particularly exotic frogs, have become a newly recognized reservoir for atypical Brucella species and strains worldwide, but their pathogenicity to humans remains largely unknown. Here we report the isolation and molecular characterization of a B. inopinata strain (FO700662) cultured from clinical samples taken from a captive diseased White's Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea) in Switzerland. The isolation of B. inopinata from a frog along with other reports of human infection by atypical Brucella raises the question of whether atypical Brucella could pose a risk to human health and deserves further attention. Methods The investigations included histopathological analysis of the frog, bacterial culture and in-depth molecular characterization of strain FO700662 based on genome sequencing data. Results and Discussion Originally identified as Ochrobactrum based on its rapid growth and biochemical profile, strain FO700622 was positive for the Brucella- specific markers bcsp31 and IS711. It showed the specific banding pattern of B. inopinata in conventional Bruce-ladder multiplex PCR and also had identical 16S rRNA and recA gene sequences as B. inopinata. Subsequent genome sequencing followed by core genome-based MLST (cgMLST) analysis using 2704 targets (74% of the total chromosome) revealed only 173 allelic differences compared to the type strain of B. inopinata BO1T, while previously considered the closest related strain BO2 differed in 2046 alleles. The overall average nucleotide identity (ANI) between the type strain BO1T and FO700622 was 99,89%, confirming that both strains were almost identical. In silico MLST-21 and MLVA-16 also identified strain FO700662 as B. inopinata. The nucleotide and amino acid-based phylogenetic reconstruction and comparative genome analysis again placed the isolate together with B. inopinata with 100% support. In conclusion, our data unequivocally classified strain FO700622, isolated from an exotic frog, as belonging to B. inopinata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holger C. Scholz
- Department of Bacteriology and Toxinology, Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany
| | - Kim O. Heckers
- LABOklin GmbH and Co KG, Labor für klinische Diagnostik, Bad Kissingen, Germany
| | - Sandra Appelt
- Department of Bacteriology and Toxinology, Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Patrick Schlegel
- Kleintierpraxis Dr. med vet. Patrick Schlegel, Sargans, Switzerland
| | - Alice R. Wattam
- Biocomplexity Institute, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
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Girault G, Djokic V, Petot-Bottin F, Perrot L, Thibaut B, Sébastien H, Vicente AF, Ponsart C, Freddi L. Molecular Investigations of Two First Brucella suis Biovar 2 Infections Cases in French Dogs. Pathogens 2023; 12:792. [PMID: 37375482 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12060792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite Brucella suis biovar 2's (BSB2) active circulation in wildlife, no canine infections have been reported. The present paper is the first to describe two cases of BSB2 infections in French dogs. The first case occurred in 2020 and concerned a 13-year-old male neutered Border Collie with clinical signs of prostatitis. The urine culture revealed the excretion of significant levels of Brucella in the sample. The second case concerned a German Shepherd with bilateral orchitis, in which it was possible to detect Brucella colonies following neutering. HRM-PCR and classical biotyping methods classified both isolated strains as BSB2, in contrast to expected B. canis, which is usually the etiological agent of canine brucellosis in Europe. The wgSNP and MLVA analyses highlighted the genetic proximity of two isolates to BSB2 strains originating from wildlife. No pig farms were present in the proximity of either dog's residence, ruling out potential spill over from infected pigs. Nevertheless, the dogs used to take walks in the surrounding forests, where contact with wildlife (i.e., wild boars or hares, or their excrements) was possible. These cases highlight the importance of adopting a One Health approach to control the presence of zoonotic bacteria in wild animals and avoid spillovers into domestic animals and, potentially, humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Girault
- EU/WOAH & National Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Animal Health Laboratory, Anses/Paris-Est University, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Vitomir Djokic
- EU/WOAH & National Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Animal Health Laboratory, Anses/Paris-Est University, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Fathia Petot-Bottin
- EU/WOAH & National Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Animal Health Laboratory, Anses/Paris-Est University, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Ludivine Perrot
- EU/WOAH & National Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Animal Health Laboratory, Anses/Paris-Est University, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | | | | | - Acacia Ferreira Vicente
- EU/WOAH & National Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Animal Health Laboratory, Anses/Paris-Est University, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Claire Ponsart
- EU/WOAH & National Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Animal Health Laboratory, Anses/Paris-Est University, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Luca Freddi
- EU/WOAH & National Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Animal Health Laboratory, Anses/Paris-Est University, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
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Auliya M, Altherr S, Nithart C, Hughes A, Bickford D. Numerous uncertainties in the multifaceted global trade in frogs’ legs with the EU as the major consumer. NATURE CONSERVATION 2023. [DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.51.93868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
The commercial trade in frogs and their body parts is global, dynamic and occurs in extremely large volumes (in the thousands of tonnes/yr or billions of frogs/yr). The European Union (EU) remains the single largest importer of frogs’ legs, with most frogs still caught from the wild. Amongst the many drivers of species extinction or population decline (e.g. due to habitat loss, climate change, disease etc.), overexploitation is becoming increasingly more prominent. Due to global declines and extinctions, new attention is being focused on these markets, in part to try to ensure sustainability. While the trade is plagued by daunting realities of data deficiency and uncertainty and the conflicts of commercial interests associated with these data, it is clear is that EU countries are most responsible for the largest portion of the international trade in frogs’ legs of wild species. Over decades of exploitation, the EU imports have contributed to a decline in wild frog populations in an increasing number of supplying countries, such as India and Bangladesh, as well as Indonesia, Turkey and Albania more recently. However, there have been no concerted attempts by the EU and present export countries to ensure sustainability of this trade. Further work is needed to validate species identities, secure data on wild frog populations, establish reasonable monitored harvest/export quotas and disease surveillance and ensure data integrity, quality and security standards for frog farms. Herein, we call upon those countries and their representative governments to assume responsibility for the sustainability of the trade. The EU should take immediate action to channel all imports through a single centralised database and list sensitive species in the Annexes of the EU Wildlife Trade Regulation. Further, listing in CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) can enforce international trade restrictions. More joint efforts are needed to improve regional monitoring schemes before the commercial trade causes irreversible extinctions of populations and species of frogs.
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Rebollada-Merino A, Pérez-Sancho M, Rodríguez-Bertos A, García N, Martínez I, Navarro A, Domínguez L, García-Seco T. Environment and Offspring Surveillance in Porcine Brucellosis. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:915692. [PMID: 35799841 PMCID: PMC9253667 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.915692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Porcine brucellosis, caused by Brucella suis (B. suis), is a notifiable disease causing significant economic losses in production systems. Most infected pigs may act as carriers and shed B. suis even if asymptomatic. This can contribute to environmental persistence, thus hindering control efforts. Here, the environment and the offspring were investigated during and after a B. suis outbreak at a sow breeding farm. The diagnosis of B. suis in sows (n = 1,140) was performed by culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from vaginal swabs, indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (I-ELISA) from sera, and brucellin skin test (BST). B. suis diagnosis in post-weaning pigs (n = 899) was performed by I-ELISA in sera and BST. The environmental surveillance programme was implemented by placing gauze sponges (n = 175) pre-hydrated in a surfactant and inactivating liquid for Brucella DNA detection by PCR in different farm areas. Our results showed that the offspring of infected sows reacted to in vivo techniques for B. suis. Furthermore, the offspring born during the outbreak displayed higher seropositivity (I-ELISA) and reactivity (BST) than those pigs born after. Brucella DNA was detected in pregnant sow areas, boxes, boots, and post-weaning pig areas. In addition, Brucella DNA environmental detection was higher during the B. suis outbreak than the post B. suis outbreak. The environmental approach has proven to be a simple, practical, valuable, and safe method to detect and monitor B. suis. These results suggest a role of the environment and the offspring that should be considered in porcine brucellosis surveillance and control programmes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agustín Rebollada-Merino
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Internal Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Pérez-Sancho
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Marta Pérez-Sancho
| | - Antonio Rodríguez-Bertos
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Internal Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Nerea García
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Irene Martínez
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alejandro Navarro
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lucas Domínguez
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Teresa García-Seco
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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The Retrospective on Atypical Brucella Species Leads to Novel Definitions. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10040813. [PMID: 35456863 PMCID: PMC9025488 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10040813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The genus Brucella currently comprises twelve species of facultative intracellular bacteria with variable zoonotic potential. Six of them have been considered as classical, causing brucellosis in terrestrial mammalian hosts, with two species originated from marine mammals. In the past fifteen years, field research as well as improved pathogen detection and typing have allowed the identification of four new species, namely Brucella microti, Brucella inopinata, Brucella papionis, Brucella vulpis, and of numerous strains, isolated from a wide range of hosts, including for the first time cold-blooded animals. While their genome sequences are still highly similar to those of classical strains, some of them are characterized by atypical phenotypes such as higher growth rate, increased resistance to acid stress, motility, and lethality in the murine infection model. In our review, we provide an overview of state-of-the-art knowledge about these novel Brucella sp., with emphasis on their phylogenetic positions in the genus, their metabolic characteristics, acid stress resistance mechanisms, and their behavior in well-established in cellulo and in vivo infection models. Comparison of phylogenetic classification and phenotypical properties between classical and novel Brucella species and strains finally lead us to propose a more adapted terminology, distinguishing between core and non-core, and typical versus atypical brucellae, respectively.
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Vibrio cholerae was found in cultured bullfrog. Epidemiol Infect 2022; 150:e30. [PMID: 35130995 PMCID: PMC8888276 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268822000164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Bullfrog is one of the most important economic aquatic animals in China that is widely cultured in southern China and is a key breed recommended as an industry of poverty alleviation in China. During recent years, a fatal bacterial disease has often been found in cultured bullfrogs. The clinical manifestations of the diseased bullfrogs were severe intestinal inflammation and an anal prolapse. A bacterial pathogen was isolated from the diseased bullfrog intestines. The bacterium was identified as Vibrio cholerae using morphological, biochemical and 16S rRNA phylogenetic analysis. In this study, V. cholerae was isolated and identified in diseased bullfrogs for the first time, providing a basis for the diagnosis and control of the disease. Therefore, attention should be paid to the modes of transmission of V. cholerae from bullfrog and formulate reasonable safety measures.
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High-Resolution Melting PCR as Rapid Genotyping Tool for Brucella Species. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10020336. [PMID: 35208791 PMCID: PMC8876322 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10020336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Brucella sp. are the causative agents of brucellosis. One of the main characteristics of the Brucella genus concerns its very high genetic homogeneity. To date, classical bacteriology typing is still considered as the gold standard assay for direct diagnosis of Brucella. Molecular approaches are routinely used for the identification of Brucella at the genus level. However, genotyping is more complex, and to date, no method exists to quickly assign a strain into species and biovar levels, and new approaches are required. Next generation sequencing (NGS) opened a new era into the diagnosis of bacterial diseases. In this study, we designed a high-resolution melting (HRM) method for the rapid screening of DNA and direct assignment into one of the 12 species of the Brucella genus. This method is based on 17 relevant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), identified and selected from a whole genome SNP (wgSNP) analysis based on 988 genomes (complete and drafts). These markers were tested against the collection of the European Reference Laboratory (EU-RL) for brucellosis (1440 DNAs extracted from Brucella strains). The results confirmed the reliability of the panel of 17 SNP markers, allowing the differentiation of each species of Brucella together with biovars 1, 2, and 3 of B. suis and vaccine strain Rev1 (B. melitensis) within 3 h, which is a considerable gain of time for brucellosis diagnosis. Therefore, this genotyping tool provides a new and quick alternative for Brucella identification based on SNPs with the HRM-PCR assay.
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Xiong X, Li B, Zhou Z, Gu G, Li M, Liu J, Jiao H. The VirB System Plays a Crucial Role in Brucella Intracellular Infection. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222413637. [PMID: 34948430 PMCID: PMC8707931 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Brucellosis is a highly prevalent zoonotic disease caused by Brucella. Brucella spp. are gram-negative facultative intracellular parasitic bacteria. Its intracellular survival and replication depend on a functional virB system, an operon encoded by VirB1–VirB12. Type IV secretion system (T4SS) encoded by the virB operon is an important virulence factor of Brucella. It can subvert cellular pathway and induce host immune response by secreting effectors, which promotes Brucella replication in host cells and induce persistent infection. Therefore, this paper summarizes the function and significance of the VirB system, focusing on the structure of the VirB system where VirB T4SS mediates biogenesis of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-derived replicative Brucella-containing vacuole (rBCV), the effectors of T4SS and the cellular pathways it subverts, which will help better understand the pathogenic mechanism of Brucella and provide new ideas for clinical vaccine research and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Xiong
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China; (X.X.); (B.L.); (Z.Z.); (G.G.); (M.L.)
| | - Bowen Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China; (X.X.); (B.L.); (Z.Z.); (G.G.); (M.L.)
| | - Zhixiong Zhou
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China; (X.X.); (B.L.); (Z.Z.); (G.G.); (M.L.)
| | - Guojing Gu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China; (X.X.); (B.L.); (Z.Z.); (G.G.); (M.L.)
| | - Mengjuan Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China; (X.X.); (B.L.); (Z.Z.); (G.G.); (M.L.)
| | - Jun Liu
- Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Yujinxiang Street 573, Changchun 130122, China
- Correspondence: (J.L.); (H.J.)
| | - Hanwei Jiao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China; (X.X.); (B.L.); (Z.Z.); (G.G.); (M.L.)
- National Center of Technology Innovation for Pigs, Chongqing 402460, China
- Veterinary Scientific Engineering Research Center, Chongqing 402460, China
- Immunology Research Center, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China
- Correspondence: (J.L.); (H.J.)
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de Sousa GP, Soares RM, Borges JCG, Brito APD, Oliveira DCR, Faita T, Attademo FLN, Luna FDO, de Oliveira REM, Freitas CIA, Vergara-Parente JE, Keid LB. Brucella Infection Investigation in Cetaceans and Manatees in Northeast Brazil. JOURNAL OF AQUATIC ANIMAL HEALTH 2021; 33:125-132. [PMID: 34121245 DOI: 10.1002/aah.10129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Among the bacterial infections that impair the health status of marine mammals, those caused by Brucella spp. are the most reported worldwide. Brucella infections in marine mammals can result in acute or chronic disease and are associated with variable clinical outcomes, depending on the organ involved during the infectious process, infection route, host immunity, and strain pathogenicity. Asymptomatic infections may also occur. The current study expands the investigation of Brucella infection in northeast Brazil by analyzing 19 dead, stranded cetaceans and 52 Antillean manatees Trichechus manatus manatus. The manatees included 8 dead, captive manatees and 44 live specimens, of which 10 were analyzed only after reintroduction into the wild as part of a rehabilitation program, 9 were analyzed both while in captivity or semi-captivity and after reintroduction, 20 were sampled only in captivity or semi-captivity, and 5 were free-living manatees. Serological tests were used to screen for antibodies against smooth Brucella spp. Whole blood, swabs, and tissue samples were screened for Brucella spp. DNA by PCR. Samples with positive PCR results were cultured for Brucella spp. isolation. All manatees yielded negative results in serological and molecular tests. Brucella spp. DNA was detected in the kidney of one adult Guiana dolphin Sotalia guianensis exhibiting necrosis in the liver. No growth of Brucella spp. was observed via microbiological culturing. This study is the first report of Brucella spp. DNA detection in cetaceans in the state of Pernambuco, and it highlights the importance of conducting systematic monitoring for the presence of Brucella infection in marine mammals along the Brazilian coast, especially in the northeast region, where several cases have been reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gláucia Pereira de Sousa
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Pirassununga, São Paulo, 13635-900, Brazil
- Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Mamíferos Aquáticos, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Santos, São Paulo, 11050-031, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Martins Soares
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Pirassununga, São Paulo, 13635-900, Brazil
| | - João Carlos Gomes Borges
- Fundação Mamíferos Aquáticos, Recife, Pernambuco, 52051-305, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Monitoramento Ambiental, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Rio Tinto, Paraíba, 58297-000, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Domingos Brito
- Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação da Biodiversidade Marinha do Nordeste, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Ilha de Itamaracá, Pernambuco, 53900-000, Brazil
| | - Daniella Carvalho Ribeiro Oliveira
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Pirassununga, São Paulo, 13635-900, Brazil
| | - Thalita Faita
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Pirassununga, São Paulo, 13635-900, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Loffler Niemeyer Attademo
- Projeto Cetáceos da Costa Branca, Universidade do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, 59080-590, Brazil
- Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Mamíferos Aquáticos, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Ilha de Itamaracá, Pernambuco, 53900-000, Brazil
| | - Fábia de Oliveira Luna
- Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Mamíferos Aquáticos, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Santos, São Paulo, 11050-031, Brazil
| | - Radan Elvis Matias de Oliveira
- Projeto Cetáceos da Costa Branca, Universidade do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, 59080-590, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência Animal, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte, 59625-900, Brazil
| | - Carlos Iberê Alves Freitas
- Departamento de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte, 59625-900, Brazil
| | | | - Lara Borges Keid
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos, Universidade de São Paulo, Pirassununga, São Paulo, 13635-900, Brazil
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Whatmore AM, Foster JT. Emerging diversity and ongoing expansion of the genus Brucella. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2021; 92:104865. [PMID: 33872784 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2021.104865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Remarkable genetic diversity and breadth of host species has been uncovered in the Brucella genus over the past decade, fundamentally changing our concept of what it means to be a Brucella. From ocean fishes and marine mammals, to pond dwelling amphibians, forest foxes, desert rodents, and cave-dwelling bats, Brucella have revealed a variety of previously unknown niches. Classical microbiological techniques have been able to help us classify many of these new strains but at times have limited our ability to see the true relationships among or within species. The closest relatives of Brucella are soil bacteria and the adaptations of Brucella spp. to live intracellularly suggest that the genus has evolved to live in vertebrate hosts. Several recently discovered species appear to have phenotypes that are intermediate between soil bacteria and core Brucella, suggesting that they may represent ancestral traits that were subsequently lost in the traditional species. Remarkably, the broad relationships among Brucella species using a variety of sequence and fragment-based approaches have been upheld when using comparative genomics with whole genomes. Nonetheless, genomes are required for fine-scale resolution of many of the relationships and for understanding the evolutionary history of the genus. We expect that the coming decades will reveal many more hosts and previously unknown diversity in a wide range of environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian M Whatmore
- OIE and FAO Brucellosis Reference Laboratory, Department of Bacteriology, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Woodham Lane, Addlestone, Surrey, United Kingdom.
| | - Jeffrey T Foster
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
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González-Espinoza G, Arce-Gorvel V, Mémet S, Gorvel JP. Brucella: Reservoirs and Niches in Animals and Humans. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10020186. [PMID: 33572264 PMCID: PMC7915599 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10020186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Brucella is an intracellular bacterium that causes abortion, reproduction failure in livestock and leads to a debilitating flu-like illness with serious chronic complications if untreated in humans. As a successful intracellular pathogen, Brucella has developed strategies to avoid recognition by the immune system of the host and promote its survival and replication. In vivo, Brucellae reside mostly within phagocytes and other cells including trophoblasts, where they establish a preferred replicative niche inside the endoplasmic reticulum. This process is central as it gives Brucella the ability to maintain replicating-surviving cycles for long periods of time, even at low bacterial numbers, in its cellular niches. In this review, we propose that Brucella takes advantage of the environment provided by the cellular niches in which it resides to generate reservoirs and disseminate to other organs. We will discuss how the favored cellular niches for Brucella infection in the host give rise to anatomical reservoirs that may lead to chronic infections or persistence in asymptomatic subjects, and which may be considered as a threat for further contamination. A special emphasis will be put on bone marrow, lymph nodes, reproductive and for the first time adipose tissues, as well as wildlife reservoirs.
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Susceptibility of Avian Species to Brucella Infection: A Hypothesis-Driven Study. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9020077. [PMID: 31991609 PMCID: PMC7168597 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9020077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Revised: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Brucellosis is a highly contagious bacterial disease affecting a wide range of animals, as well as humans. The existence of the clinically diagnosed brucellosis in avian species is controversially discussed. In the current study, we set to summarize the current knowledge on the presence of brucellae in avian species. Anti-Brucella antibodies were monitored in different avian species using classical diagnostic tools. Experimental infection of chicken embryos induced the disease and resulted in the development of specific lesions. Few empirical studies have been performed in adult poultry. However, the isolation of brucellae from naturally-infected chickens has not been possible yet.
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Abstract
This report of the European Food Safety Authority and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control presents the results of zoonoses monitoring activities carried out in 2018 in 36 European countries (28 Member States (MS) and 8 non‐MS). The first and second most commonly reported zoonoses in humans were campylobacteriosis and salmonellosis, respectively. The European Union (EU) trend for confirmed human cases of these two diseases was stable during 2014–2018. The proportion of human salmonellosis cases due to Salmonella Enteritidis was at the same level in 2018 as in 2017. Of the 27 reporting MS, 16 met all Salmonella reduction targets for poultry, whereas 11 MS failed meeting at least one. The EU flock prevalence of target Salmonella serovars in breeding hens, laying hens, broilers and fattening turkeys decreased during recent years but stalled in breeding turkeys. Salmonella results from Competent Authorities for pig carcasses and for poultry tested through National Control Programmes were more frequently positive compared with food business operators. Shiga toxin‐producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections in humans were the third most commonly reported zoonosis in the EU and increased from 2014 to 2018. Yersiniosis was the fourth most frequently reported zoonosis in humans in 2018 with a stable trend in 2014–2018. The number of reported confirmed listeriosis cases further increased in 2018, despite Listeria rarely exceeding the EU food safety limit tested in ready‐to‐eat food. In total, 5,146 food‐ and waterborne outbreaks were reported. Salmonella was the most commonly detected agent with S. Enteritidis causing one in five outbreaks. Salmonella in eggs and egg products was the highest risk agent/food pair. A large increase of human West Nile virus infections was reported in 2018. The report further updates on bovine tuberculosis, Brucella, Trichinella, Echinococcus, Toxoplasma, rabies, Coxiella burnetii (Q fever) and tularaemia.
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