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Diseases of Aquatic Organisms
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DAO 133:189-194 (2019)  -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/dao03342

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Tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium pinnipedii in a wild South American sea lion Otaria flavescens stranded in southern Brazil

Aryse Martins Melo1,2,*, Rodolfo Pinho da Silva Filho3, Andrea von Groll4,5, Ana Júlia Reis4,5, Jaciara de Lourdes do Carmo Guimarães Diniz4,5, João Perdigão6, Isabel Portugal6, Pedro Eduardo Almeida da Silva4,5, Fabiane Borelli Grecco7, Melissa Orzechowski Xavier2,5

1Centro de Recuperação de Animais Marinhos, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, 96200-580, Brazil
2Programa de Pós-Graduação em Parasitologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, 96160-000, Brazil
3Aiuká Consultoria em Soluções Ambientais, Avenida do Trabalhador, 1799, Praia Grande, São Paulo, 11720-000, Brazil
4Núcleo de Pesquisa em Microbiologia Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, 96203-900, Brazil
5Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, 96203-900, Brazil
6iMed.ULisboa, Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa 1649-003, Portugal
7Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, 96160-000, Brazil
*Corresponding author:

ABSTRACT: Tuberculosis (TB) in pinnipeds is typically caused by Mycobacterium pinnipedii, which has also been associated with infections in other species, such as cattle and humans. As a result, this pathogen has zoonotic potential and is a public health concern. In 2016, a female South American sea lion Otaria flavescens in southern Brazil presented with emaciation and severe dyspnea and died within 3 h of capture. Gross pathology identified pulmonary granulomas, and Ziehl-Neelsen stain identified acid-fast bacilli. M. tuberculosis complex bacteria were confirmed by a BD BACTEC™ MGIT™ 320 detection system using fibrinous exudate, lung granulomas and thoracic fluid. Molecular characterization by spoligotyping showed a hybridization pattern characteristic of M. pinnipedii (SIT593/PINI1). Currently, there is a paucity of data concerning the transmission and epidemiology of M. pinnipedii in pinniped populations in South America. The case report shows that the disease appeared in a free-ranging beached sea lion on the coast, and further surveillance is needed to determine the origin of this TB because of its potential impact on public health.


KEY WORDS: Sea lion · Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex · Mycobacterium pinnipedii · Pinnipeds · Wildlife · Spoligotyping · Zoonosis


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Cite this article as: Martins Melo A, da Silva Filho RP, von Groll A, Reis AJ and others (2019) Tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium pinnipedii in a wild South American sea lion Otaria flavescens stranded in southern Brazil. Dis Aquat Org 133:189-194. https://doi.org/10.3354/dao03342

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Published in DAO Vol. 133, No. 3. Online publication date: March 28, 2019
Print ISSN: 0177-5103; Online ISSN: 1616-1580
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