Gabarit Poster Express

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HE 16
WATER-BORNE EMERGING ZOONOSE? CASE REPORT ON
ERYSIPELAS (ERYSIPELOTHRIX RHUSIOPATHIAE) IN
HARBOUR PORPOISES (PHOCOENA PHOCOENA) AND HARBOUR
SEAL (PHOCA VITULINA).
BOSERET Géraldine (1)(2), SAEGERMAN Claude (2),
MAINIL Jacques (1), JAUNIAUX Thierry (3). (1)
Bacteriology and pathology of bacterial diseases,
Department of infectious and parasitic diseases,
Veterinary College, University of Liège, 4000
Liège, Belgium (2) Current address  Epidemiology
and risk analysis applied to veterinary sciences
(UREAR-ULg), Department of infectious and
parasitic diseases, Veterinary College,
University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium (3)
Veterinary pathology, Department of pathology and
morphology, Veterinary College, University of
Liege, 4000 Liege, Belgium   Corresponding
author geraldine.boseret_at_ulg.ac.be
Introduction
Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae infections have been
long ago reported in captive marine mammals but
few cases have been brought to knowledge
involving wild species, both cetaceans and
pinnipeds (Higgins et al., 2000 Melero et al.,
2011 Brownstein et al., 2011). We report here
three cases of systemic infections in two harbour
porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) and one harbour
seal (Phoca vitulina) stranded along the Belgian
coast, and we questioned the hypothesis whether,
as erysipelas is a zoonosis, sea animals could
represent a threat for public health. .
Necropsy and bacteriological findings are
summarized in table 1. As the bodies were in good
condition, analyses could be performed with a
high degree of accuracy.  
Fig 1 Left Diamond-shaped lesion in captive
dolphins. Center and right respectively harbour
seal and harbour porpoise found stranded along
the belgian coast.
Species/ reference Emaciation Macroscopic lesions Macroscopic lesions Macroscopic lesions Macroscopic lesions Remarks Bacteriology isolation of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae Bacteriology isolation of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae Bacteriology isolation of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae Bacteriology isolation of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae Bacteriology isolation of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae Bacteriology isolation of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae Bacteriology isolation of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae Bacteriology isolation of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae Bacteriology isolation of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae
Enteric Pulmonary Other Skin Heart blood Lung Digestive tract Liver Spleen Brain Lymph nodes Upper respiratory tract skin
Phoca vitulina A02/1289 Yes Acute haemorraghic enteritis Acute muco-haemorrhagic broncho-pneumonia Subcutaneaous disseminated petechiae No By-catch - - - - nd -
Phocoena phocoena A02/165 Yes / Acute haemorrhagic broncho-pneumonia / No Mutisystemic parasitism - - nd nd -
Phocoena phocoena A08/001 Yes / Acute haemorrhagic broncho-pneumonia Acute peritonitis disseminated petechiae Yes Mutisystemic parasitism - - nd nd -
Table 1 Summary of macroscopic lesions and
bacteriological findings. Legend isolation
of E. rhusiopathiae in the organ - no evidence
of E. rhusiopathiae .Nd no data available
Bacterial analyses
Pure and abundant culture of a small rod-shaped,
Gram-labile bacterium was obtained aerobically
and anaerobically on Columbia blood agar. The
colonies were alpha-hemolytic, catalase- negative
and peroxydase-negative. Biochemical sugar tests
(Rapid ID 32 Strepto, Biomérieux, France)
confirmed the identity of this isolate with 99
certainty as Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae.
Fig 2 Haemorrhagic acute enteritis in a harbour
seal necropsied at the University of
Liège. Arrow a segment of congestive small
intestine.
Fig 3 E. rhusiopathiae. Left Culture on
Columbia agar . Center positive Gram-staining.
Right Rapid ID 32 Strepto results positive for
E. rhusiopathiae
Discussion and conclusions

• E. rhusiopathiae could be considered as involved
  in death of the three stranded animals described
  thereabove
• Stress could be at the origin of E. rhusiopathiae
  systemic spreading, as the seal was entangled in
  nets before stranding and both porpoises were
  heavily parasited.
• Origin of the bacteria presence in these animals
  could be
• Commensal flora (Siebert et al., 2009)
• Food (Brooke et Riley, 1999)
• Environment (Brooke and Riley, 1999)
• E. rhusiopatiae is known to have a zoonotic
  spreading potential, directly related to marine
  animals handling (seal finger Hunt et al.,
  2008 endocarditis Harada et al., 2011).
• In conclusion, E. rhusiopathiae could be
  considered as a potentially emerging pathogen
  which could have in some extend repercussions on
  human health, particularly veterinarians, marine
  mammals rescue teams and zoos. Biosecurity should
  then be increased in these particular situations.
• The reciprocal effect (from human to animal)
  could be also hypothetised, as pathogens burden
  in wild marine mammals could be directly putted
  in correlation with increasing human activities
  (Siebert et al., 2009).

Fig 4 Dead stranded harbour porpoise and come-by
wanderers whats the risk for human health?
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project, Ceto-club of University of Liège.