Brucella ceti Infection in Harbor Porpoise | CDC EID

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Volume 16, Number 12–December 2010
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Brucella ceti Infection in Harbor Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)

Thierry P. Jauniaux, Comments to Author Cecile Brenez, David Fretin, Jacques Godfroid, Jan Haelters, Thierry Jacques, Francis Kerckhof, Jan Mast, Michael Sarlet, and Freddy L. Coignoul
Author affiliations: Veterinary College, Liege, Belgium (T.P. Jauniaux, C. Brenez, M. Sarlet, F.L. Coignoul); Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium (T. Jauniaux, J. Haelters, T. Jacques, F. Kerckhof); Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Centre, Brussels (D. Fretin, J. Mast); and Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Tromsø, Norway (J. Godfroid)

Suggested citation for this article

Abstract
We describe Brucella sp. infection and associated lesions in a harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) found on the coast of Belgium. The infection was diagnosed by immunohistochemistry, transmission electron microscopy, and bacteriology, and the organism was identified as B. ceti. The infection's location in the porpoise raises questions of abortion and zoonotic risks.

In cetaceans, Brucella spp. infections and related lesions have been found in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) (1), striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) (2–5), Atlantic white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus acutus) (6,7), common dolphins (Delphinus delphi) (6,8), harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) (6,9), and a minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) (6). Recently, B. ceti was described as being the cetacean Brucella sp. strain that infects dolphins (10). We report a case of B. ceti infection and associated lesions in a harbor porpoise found on the coast of Belgium in 2008.

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Brucella ceti Infection in Harbor Porpoise | CDC EID


Suggested Citation for this Article

Jauniaux TP, Brenez C, Fretin D, Godfroid J, Haelters J, Jacques T, et al. Brucella ceti infection in harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). Emerg Infect Dis [serial on the Internet]. 2010 Dec [date cited].
http://www.cdc.gov/EID/content/16/12/1966.htm

DOI: 10.3201/eid1612.101008

Comments to the Authors

Please use the form below to submit correspondence to the authors or contact them at the following address:

Thierry P. Jauniaux, University of Liege–Veterinary Pathology, Sart Tilman B4, Liege 4000, Belgium; email: t.jauniaux@ulg.ac.be