Colony-level assessment of Brucella and Leptospira in the Guadalupe fur seal, Isla Guadalupe, Mexico

The relatively small population size and restricted distribution of the Guadalupe fur seal Arctocephalus townsendi could make it highly vulnerable to infectious diseases. We performed a colony-level assessment in this species of the prevalence and presence of Brucella spp. and Leptospira spp., patho...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Diseases of aquatic organisms 2017-01, Vol.122 (3), p.185-193
Main Authors: Ziehl-Quirós, E Carolina, García-Aguilar, María C, Mellink, Eric
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Arctocephalus townsendi
Brucella
Brucella - isolation & purification
Brucellosis - epidemiology
Brucellosis - microbiology
Brucellosis - veterinary
Fur Seals
Leptospira
Leptospira - isolation & purification
Leptospirosis - epidemiology
Leptospirosis - microbiology
Leptospirosis - veterinary
Marine
Mexico - epidemiology
Pinnipedia
Prevalence
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Summary:The relatively small population size and restricted distribution of the Guadalupe fur seal Arctocephalus townsendi could make it highly vulnerable to infectious diseases. We performed a colony-level assessment in this species of the prevalence and presence of Brucella spp. and Leptospira spp., pathogenic bacteria that have been reported in several pinniped species worldwide. Forty-six serum samples were collected in 2014 from pups at Isla Guadalupe, the only place where the species effectively reproduces. Samples were tested for Brucella using 3 consecutive serological tests, and for Leptospira using the microscopic agglutination test. For each bacterium, a Bayesian approach was used to estimate prevalence to exposure, and an epidemiological model was used to test the null hypothesis that the bacterium was present in the colony. No serum sample tested positive for Brucella, and the statistical analyses concluded that the colony was bacterium-free with a 96.3% confidence level. However, a Brucella surveillance program would be highly recommendable. Twelve samples were positive (titers 1:50) to 1 or more serovars of Leptospira. The prevalence was calculated at 27.1% (95% credible interval: 15.6-40.3%), and the posterior analyses indicated that the colony was not Leptospira-free with a 100% confidence level. Serovars Icterohaemorrhagiae, Canicola, and Bratislava were detected, but only further research can unveil whether they affect the fur seal population.
ISSN:0177-5103
1616-1580
DOI:10.3354/dao03073