Loggerhead Sea Turtle as Possible Source of Transmission for Zoonotic Listeriosis in the Marine Environment
<i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> is an ubiquitous pathogen isolated from different host species including fish, crustaceans, and molluscs, but it is rarely a pathogenic microorganism to marine reptiles. In particular, only two cases of fatal disseminated listeriosis have been described in t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Veterinary Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/10/5/344 |
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| author | Silva Rubini Matilde Baruffaldi Roberta Taddei Giulia D’Annunzio Erika Scaltriti Martina Tambassi Ilaria Menozzi Giulia Bondesan Sandro Mazzariol Cinzia Centelleghe Giorgia Corazzola Federica Savini Valentina Indio Andrea Serraino Federica Giacometti |
| author_facet | Silva Rubini Matilde Baruffaldi Roberta Taddei Giulia D’Annunzio Erika Scaltriti Martina Tambassi Ilaria Menozzi Giulia Bondesan Sandro Mazzariol Cinzia Centelleghe Giorgia Corazzola Federica Savini Valentina Indio Andrea Serraino Federica Giacometti |
| author_sort | Silva Rubini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> is an ubiquitous pathogen isolated from different host species including fish, crustaceans, and molluscs, but it is rarely a pathogenic microorganism to marine reptiles. In particular, only two cases of fatal disseminated listeriosis have been described in the loggerhead sea turtle (<i>Caretta caretta</i>). In this study, we describe a lethal case of <i>L. monocytogenes</i> infection in a loggerhead sea turtle. The turtle was found alive, stranded on a beach in North-eastern Italy, but perished soon after being rescued. The autoptic examination revealed that heart, lung, liver, spleen, and urinary bladder were disseminated with multiple, firm, 0.1–0.5 mm sized, nodular, white-green lesions. Microscopically, these lesions corresponded with heterophilic granulomas with Gram+ bacteria within the necrotic center. Furthermore, the Ziehl–Neelsen stain was negative for acid-fast organisms. Colonies isolated from heart and liver were tested through MALDI-TOF for species identification, revealing the presence of <i>L. monocytogenes</i>. Whole Genome Sequencing on <i>L. monocytogenes</i> isolates was performed and the subsequent in silico genotyping revealed the belonging to Sequence Type 6 (ST 6); the virulence profile was evaluated, showing the presence of pathogenicity islands commonly observed in ST 6. Our results further confirm that <i>L. monocytogenes</i> should be posed in differential diagnosis in case of nodular lesions of loggerhead sea turtles; thus, given the zoonotic potential of the microorganism, animals should be treated with particular caution. In addition, wildlife animals can play an active role as carriers of possibly pathogenetic and virulent strains and contribute to the distribution of <i>L. monocytogenes</i> in the environment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:14:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9a05592ecee74bb3869dfcc991d32e8e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2306-7381 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:14:34Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Veterinary Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-9a05592ecee74bb3869dfcc991d32e8e2023-11-18T03:37:35ZengMDPI AGVeterinary Sciences2306-73812023-05-0110534410.3390/vetsci10050344Loggerhead Sea Turtle as Possible Source of Transmission for Zoonotic Listeriosis in the Marine EnvironmentSilva Rubini0Matilde Baruffaldi1Roberta Taddei2Giulia D’Annunzio3Erika Scaltriti4Martina Tambassi5Ilaria Menozzi6Giulia Bondesan7Sandro Mazzariol8Cinzia Centelleghe9Giorgia Corazzola10Federica Savini11Valentina Indio12Andrea Serraino13Federica Giacometti14Laboratory of Ichthyopathology and Marine Biotoxins, Zooprophylactic Institute of Lombardia and Emilia Romagna Regions (IZSLER), 44124 Ferrara, ItalyLaboratory of Ichthyopathology and Marine Biotoxins, Zooprophylactic Institute of Lombardia and Emilia Romagna Regions (IZSLER), 44124 Ferrara, ItalyLaboratory of Ichthyopathology and Marine Biotoxins, Zooprophylactic Institute of Lombardia and Emilia Romagna Regions (IZSLER), 44124 Ferrara, ItalyLaboratory of Ichthyopathology and Marine Biotoxins, Zooprophylactic Institute of Lombardia and Emilia Romagna Regions (IZSLER), 44124 Ferrara, ItalyRisk Analysis and Genomic Epidemiology Unit, Zooprophylactic Institute of Lombardia and Emilia Romagna Regions (IZSLER), 43126 Parma, ItalyRisk Analysis and Genomic Epidemiology Unit, Zooprophylactic Institute of Lombardia and Emilia Romagna Regions (IZSLER), 43126 Parma, ItalyRisk Analysis and Genomic Epidemiology Unit, Zooprophylactic Institute of Lombardia and Emilia Romagna Regions (IZSLER), 43126 Parma, ItalyIndependent Contractor Veterinary and Delta Rescue President, 44020 Ferrara, ItalyDepartment of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science—BCA, University of Padua—Agripolis, 35020 Padua, ItalyDepartment of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science—BCA, University of Padua—Agripolis, 35020 Padua, ItalyDepartment of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science—BCA, University of Padua—Agripolis, 35020 Padua, ItalyDepartment of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40064 Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40064 Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40064 Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40064 Bologna, Italy<i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> is an ubiquitous pathogen isolated from different host species including fish, crustaceans, and molluscs, but it is rarely a pathogenic microorganism to marine reptiles. In particular, only two cases of fatal disseminated listeriosis have been described in the loggerhead sea turtle (<i>Caretta caretta</i>). In this study, we describe a lethal case of <i>L. monocytogenes</i> infection in a loggerhead sea turtle. The turtle was found alive, stranded on a beach in North-eastern Italy, but perished soon after being rescued. The autoptic examination revealed that heart, lung, liver, spleen, and urinary bladder were disseminated with multiple, firm, 0.1–0.5 mm sized, nodular, white-green lesions. Microscopically, these lesions corresponded with heterophilic granulomas with Gram+ bacteria within the necrotic center. Furthermore, the Ziehl–Neelsen stain was negative for acid-fast organisms. Colonies isolated from heart and liver were tested through MALDI-TOF for species identification, revealing the presence of <i>L. monocytogenes</i>. Whole Genome Sequencing on <i>L. monocytogenes</i> isolates was performed and the subsequent in silico genotyping revealed the belonging to Sequence Type 6 (ST 6); the virulence profile was evaluated, showing the presence of pathogenicity islands commonly observed in ST 6. Our results further confirm that <i>L. monocytogenes</i> should be posed in differential diagnosis in case of nodular lesions of loggerhead sea turtles; thus, given the zoonotic potential of the microorganism, animals should be treated with particular caution. In addition, wildlife animals can play an active role as carriers of possibly pathogenetic and virulent strains and contribute to the distribution of <i>L. monocytogenes</i> in the environment.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/10/5/344<i>Listeria monocytogenes</i>sea turtleheterophilic granulomawhole genome sequencingsequence type 6 |
| spellingShingle | Silva Rubini Matilde Baruffaldi Roberta Taddei Giulia D’Annunzio Erika Scaltriti Martina Tambassi Ilaria Menozzi Giulia Bondesan Sandro Mazzariol Cinzia Centelleghe Giorgia Corazzola Federica Savini Valentina Indio Andrea Serraino Federica Giacometti Loggerhead Sea Turtle as Possible Source of Transmission for Zoonotic Listeriosis in the Marine Environment Veterinary Sciences <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> sea turtle heterophilic granuloma whole genome sequencing sequence type 6 |
| title | Loggerhead Sea Turtle as Possible Source of Transmission for Zoonotic Listeriosis in the Marine Environment |
| title_full | Loggerhead Sea Turtle as Possible Source of Transmission for Zoonotic Listeriosis in the Marine Environment |
| title_fullStr | Loggerhead Sea Turtle as Possible Source of Transmission for Zoonotic Listeriosis in the Marine Environment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Loggerhead Sea Turtle as Possible Source of Transmission for Zoonotic Listeriosis in the Marine Environment |
| title_short | Loggerhead Sea Turtle as Possible Source of Transmission for Zoonotic Listeriosis in the Marine Environment |
| title_sort | loggerhead sea turtle as possible source of transmission for zoonotic listeriosis in the marine environment |
| topic | <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> sea turtle heterophilic granuloma whole genome sequencing sequence type 6 |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/10/5/344 |
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