Bartonella species detection in captive, stranded and free-ranging cetaceans

• Main Authors: Harms, Craig, Maggi, Ricardo, Breitschwerdt, Edward, Clemons-Chevis, Connie, Solangi, Mobashir, Rotstein, David, Fair, Patricia, Hansen, Larry, Hohn, Aleta, Lovewell, Gretchen, McLellan, William, Pabst, D., Rowles, Teri, Schwacke, Lori, Townsend, Forrest, Wells, Randall
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2008
• Subjects: Bartonella; cetacean; dolphin; porpoise; [SDV.BBM.BM]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Biochemistry; Molecular Biology/Molecular biology; [SDV.GEN.GA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Genetics/Animal genetics; [SDV.BC]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Cellular Biology; [SDV.BC.IC]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Cellular Biology/Cell Behavior [q-bio.CB]; [SDV.MP]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Microbiology and Parasitology; [SDV.IMM]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Immunology; [SDV.NEU]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Neurons and Cognition [q-bio.NC]; [SDV.SPEE]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Santé publique et épidémiologie; [SDV.BA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology; Sperm whale
• Online Access: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00902948; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00902948/document; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00902948/file/hal-00902948.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1051/vetres:2008036

International audience We present prevalence of Bartonella spp. for multiple cohorts of wild and captive cetaceans. One hundred and six cetaceans including 86 bottlenose dolphins (71 free-ranging, 14 captive in a facility with a dolphin experiencing debility of unknown origin, 1 stranded), 11 striped dolphins, 4 harbor porpoises, 3 Risso's dolphins, 1 dwarf sperm whale and 1 pygmy sperm whale (all stranded) were sampled. Whole blood ($n = 95$ live animals) and tissues ($n = 15$ freshly dead animals) were screened by PCR ($n = 106$ animals), PCR of enrichment cultures ($n = 50$ animals), and subcultures ($n = 50$ animals). Bartonella spp. were detected from 17 cetaceans, including 12 by direct extraction PCR of blood or tissues, 6 by PCR of enrichment cultures, and 4 by subculture isolation. Bartonella spp. were more commonly detected from the captive (6/14, 43%) than from free-ranging (2/71, 2.8%) bottlenose dolphins, and were commonly detected from the stranded animals (9/21, 43%; 3/11 striped dolphins, 3/4 harbor porpoises, 2/3 Risso's dolphins, 1/1 pygmy sperm whale, 0/1 dwarf sperm whale, 0/1 bottlenose dolphin). Sequencing identified a Bartonella spp. most similar to B. henselae San Antonio 2 in eight cases (4 bottlenose dolphins, 2 striped dolphins, 2 harbor porpoises), B. henselae Houston 1 in three cases (2 Risso's dolphins, 1 harbor porpoise), and untyped in six cases (4 bottlenose dolphins, 1 striped dolphin, 1 pygmy sperm whale). Although disease causation has not been established, Bartonella species were detected more commonly from cetaceans that were overtly debilitated or were cohabiting in captivity with a debilitated animal than from free-ranging animals. The detection of Bartonella spp. from cetaceans may be of pathophysiological concern.