Mf. Van Bressem et al., Serological evidence of Brucella species infection in odontocetes from thesouth Pacific and the Mediterranean, VET REC, 148(21), 2001, pp. 657-661
Sera from 58 odontocetes taken in fisheries off Peru in 1993 to 1995 and fr
om 24 cetaceans stranded along the Spanish coast of the Mediterranean in 19
97 to 1999 were tested for the presence of Brucella species antibodies in c
ompetitive and indirect ELISAs (cELISA and iELISA). Among the animals from
Peru, 21 of 27 (77.8 per cent) Lagenorhynchus obscurus. three of six Delphi
nus capensis, one of two inshore and two of three offshore Tursiops truncat
us and five of 20 (25 per cent) Phocoena spinipinnis were positive in the c
ELISA. Brucella species antibodies were also observed in two of 16(12.5 per
cent) Stenella coeroleoalba and in one of two T truncatus from the Mediter
ranean. These data provide the first evidence for the presence of cetacean
brucellae in the south Pacific Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.