An Old Pathogen in a New Environment–Implications of Coxiella burnetii in Australian Fur Seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus)
The Australian fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) has experienced a slower than expected population recovery since the end of the commercial sealing era, with a high third trimester abortion rate. There is currently no known proximate cause. Coxiella burnetii (Cb) is a well-known cause of a...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-01-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.809075/full |
| _version_ | 1798025039409315840 |
|---|---|
| author | Brett R. Gardner John Stenos Jasmin Hufschmid John P. Y. Arnould Rebecca R. McIntosh Mythili Tadepalli Anita Tolpinrud Marc Marenda Michael Lynch Andrew Stent |
| author_facet | Brett R. Gardner John Stenos Jasmin Hufschmid John P. Y. Arnould Rebecca R. McIntosh Mythili Tadepalli Anita Tolpinrud Marc Marenda Michael Lynch Andrew Stent |
| author_sort | Brett R. Gardner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Australian fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) has experienced a slower than expected population recovery since the end of the commercial sealing era, with a high third trimester abortion rate. There is currently no known proximate cause. Coxiella burnetii (Cb) is a well-known cause of abortion in domestic and wildlife species and an important zoonotic pathogen. It has been recorded from a small number of northern hemisphere marine mammals and may be a potential contributory factor to decreasing populations of northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) and Steller sealions (Eumetopias jubatus). It has not been recorded from marine mammals in the southern hemisphere but is well documented in ruminants and wildlife in Australia as a cause of reproductive failure. Third trimester aborted fetuses (n = 46) and full-term placentas (n = 66) from Australian fur seals, were collected on Kanowna Island and Seal Rocks in Bass Strait, south-eastern Australia. Utilizing routine hematoxylin and eosin histopathology, Cb immunohistochemistry and two different qPCR targets–htpAB and com1, Cb was identified. Routine histopathology and immunohistochemistry were insensitive for the detection of Cb. The detected Cb prevalence ranged from 10.6% for com1 up to 40.9% with htpAB. Coxiella burnetti was readily detected in full-term placentas but in aborted fetal material only in a single placenta associated with a still birth. The exact significance is currently unclear, but this highlights that Cb is present in Australian fur seals, breeding in Bass Strait. Bass Strait is in one of the world’s fastest warming oceanic regions and marine mammals breeding in the area are likely to be key indicators of marine ecosystem stressors. This first description of Cb in a marine mammal from the southern hemisphere, highlights the need to further investigate the potential risks this pathogen poses to Australian fur seals and sympatric marine mammals. Additionally, it is important to determine the zoonotic risk of this pathogen to persons working with, and in proximity of, Australian fur seal breeding colonies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T18:13:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cdbbd37ae6344ce19273687e6131a34f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-7745 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T18:13:12Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-cdbbd37ae6344ce19273687e6131a34f2022-12-22T04:10:03ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452022-01-01910.3389/fmars.2022.809075809075An Old Pathogen in a New Environment–Implications of Coxiella burnetii in Australian Fur Seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus)Brett R. Gardner0John Stenos1Jasmin Hufschmid2John P. Y. Arnould3Rebecca R. McIntosh4Mythili Tadepalli5Anita Tolpinrud6Marc Marenda7Michael Lynch8Andrew Stent9Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC, AustraliaAustralian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory, University Hospital Geelong, Geelong, VIC, AustraliaMelbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC, AustraliaSchool of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, AustraliaConservation Department, Phillip Island Nature Parks, Cowes, VIC, AustraliaAustralian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory, University Hospital Geelong, Geelong, VIC, AustraliaMelbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC, AustraliaMelbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC, AustraliaZoos Victoria, Parkville, VIC, AustraliaMelbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC, AustraliaThe Australian fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) has experienced a slower than expected population recovery since the end of the commercial sealing era, with a high third trimester abortion rate. There is currently no known proximate cause. Coxiella burnetii (Cb) is a well-known cause of abortion in domestic and wildlife species and an important zoonotic pathogen. It has been recorded from a small number of northern hemisphere marine mammals and may be a potential contributory factor to decreasing populations of northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) and Steller sealions (Eumetopias jubatus). It has not been recorded from marine mammals in the southern hemisphere but is well documented in ruminants and wildlife in Australia as a cause of reproductive failure. Third trimester aborted fetuses (n = 46) and full-term placentas (n = 66) from Australian fur seals, were collected on Kanowna Island and Seal Rocks in Bass Strait, south-eastern Australia. Utilizing routine hematoxylin and eosin histopathology, Cb immunohistochemistry and two different qPCR targets–htpAB and com1, Cb was identified. Routine histopathology and immunohistochemistry were insensitive for the detection of Cb. The detected Cb prevalence ranged from 10.6% for com1 up to 40.9% with htpAB. Coxiella burnetti was readily detected in full-term placentas but in aborted fetal material only in a single placenta associated with a still birth. The exact significance is currently unclear, but this highlights that Cb is present in Australian fur seals, breeding in Bass Strait. Bass Strait is in one of the world’s fastest warming oceanic regions and marine mammals breeding in the area are likely to be key indicators of marine ecosystem stressors. This first description of Cb in a marine mammal from the southern hemisphere, highlights the need to further investigate the potential risks this pathogen poses to Australian fur seals and sympatric marine mammals. Additionally, it is important to determine the zoonotic risk of this pathogen to persons working with, and in proximity of, Australian fur seal breeding colonies.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.809075/fullCoxiella burnetiiAustralian fur sealabortionplacentaArctocephalus pusilluszoonotic risk |
| spellingShingle | Brett R. Gardner John Stenos Jasmin Hufschmid John P. Y. Arnould Rebecca R. McIntosh Mythili Tadepalli Anita Tolpinrud Marc Marenda Michael Lynch Andrew Stent An Old Pathogen in a New Environment–Implications of Coxiella burnetii in Australian Fur Seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) Frontiers in Marine Science Coxiella burnetii Australian fur seal abortion placenta Arctocephalus pusillus zoonotic risk |
| title | An Old Pathogen in a New Environment–Implications of Coxiella burnetii in Australian Fur Seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) |
| title_full | An Old Pathogen in a New Environment–Implications of Coxiella burnetii in Australian Fur Seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) |
| title_fullStr | An Old Pathogen in a New Environment–Implications of Coxiella burnetii in Australian Fur Seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Old Pathogen in a New Environment–Implications of Coxiella burnetii in Australian Fur Seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) |
| title_short | An Old Pathogen in a New Environment–Implications of Coxiella burnetii in Australian Fur Seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) |
| title_sort | old pathogen in a new environment implications of coxiella burnetii in australian fur seals arctocephalus pusillus doriferus |
| topic | Coxiella burnetii Australian fur seal abortion placenta Arctocephalus pusillus zoonotic risk |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.809075/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT brettrgardner anoldpathogeninanewenvironmentimplicationsofcoxiellaburnetiiinaustralianfursealsarctocephaluspusillusdoriferus AT johnstenos anoldpathogeninanewenvironmentimplicationsofcoxiellaburnetiiinaustralianfursealsarctocephaluspusillusdoriferus AT jasminhufschmid anoldpathogeninanewenvironmentimplicationsofcoxiellaburnetiiinaustralianfursealsarctocephaluspusillusdoriferus AT johnpyarnould anoldpathogeninanewenvironmentimplicationsofcoxiellaburnetiiinaustralianfursealsarctocephaluspusillusdoriferus AT rebeccarmcintosh anoldpathogeninanewenvironmentimplicationsofcoxiellaburnetiiinaustralianfursealsarctocephaluspusillusdoriferus AT mythilitadepalli anoldpathogeninanewenvironmentimplicationsofcoxiellaburnetiiinaustralianfursealsarctocephaluspusillusdoriferus AT anitatolpinrud anoldpathogeninanewenvironmentimplicationsofcoxiellaburnetiiinaustralianfursealsarctocephaluspusillusdoriferus AT marcmarenda anoldpathogeninanewenvironmentimplicationsofcoxiellaburnetiiinaustralianfursealsarctocephaluspusillusdoriferus AT michaellynch anoldpathogeninanewenvironmentimplicationsofcoxiellaburnetiiinaustralianfursealsarctocephaluspusillusdoriferus AT andrewstent anoldpathogeninanewenvironmentimplicationsofcoxiellaburnetiiinaustralianfursealsarctocephaluspusillusdoriferus AT brettrgardner oldpathogeninanewenvironmentimplicationsofcoxiellaburnetiiinaustralianfursealsarctocephaluspusillusdoriferus AT johnstenos oldpathogeninanewenvironmentimplicationsofcoxiellaburnetiiinaustralianfursealsarctocephaluspusillusdoriferus AT jasminhufschmid oldpathogeninanewenvironmentimplicationsofcoxiellaburnetiiinaustralianfursealsarctocephaluspusillusdoriferus AT johnpyarnould oldpathogeninanewenvironmentimplicationsofcoxiellaburnetiiinaustralianfursealsarctocephaluspusillusdoriferus AT rebeccarmcintosh oldpathogeninanewenvironmentimplicationsofcoxiellaburnetiiinaustralianfursealsarctocephaluspusillusdoriferus AT mythilitadepalli oldpathogeninanewenvironmentimplicationsofcoxiellaburnetiiinaustralianfursealsarctocephaluspusillusdoriferus AT anitatolpinrud oldpathogeninanewenvironmentimplicationsofcoxiellaburnetiiinaustralianfursealsarctocephaluspusillusdoriferus AT marcmarenda oldpathogeninanewenvironmentimplicationsofcoxiellaburnetiiinaustralianfursealsarctocephaluspusillusdoriferus AT michaellynch oldpathogeninanewenvironmentimplicationsofcoxiellaburnetiiinaustralianfursealsarctocephaluspusillusdoriferus AT andrewstent oldpathogeninanewenvironmentimplicationsofcoxiellaburnetiiinaustralianfursealsarctocephaluspusillusdoriferus |