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Infection with Brucella ceti and high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls in bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus ) stranded in south‐west England
Author(s) -
Davison N. J.,
Perrett L. L.,
Law R. J.,
Dawson C. E.,
Stubberfield E. J.,
Monies R. J.,
Deaville R.,
Jepson P. D.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
veterinary record
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.261
H-Index - 99
eISSN - 2042-7670
pISSN - 0042-4900
DOI - 10.1136/vr.d2714
Subject(s) - bottlenose dolphin , brucella , biology , brucellosis , geography , veterinary medicine , fishery , virology , medicine
Eight bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus ) that stranded in Cornwall, south‐west England, between June 2004 and December 2007 were examined using standardised postmortem examination and bacteriological methods. Evidence of Brucella species infection was found in four of these dolphins on culture. In addition, of the eight dolphins, four were positive and two were weakly positive for antibodies to Brucella species on serological analyses of pericardial and other fluids using a competitive ELISA and two indirect ELISAs. High or very high levels of the sum of 25 individual chlorobiphenyl congeners (∑25CBs) were also determined in blubber samples from two of the dolphins (45.5 and 446.6 mg/kg lipid weight).