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Title: RE-EMERGENCE OF BORDETELLA BRONCHISPETICA DURING THE RECENT SEAL MORBILLIVIRUS OUTBREAK

Author
item FOSTER, GEOFF - SAC VET. SERV., UK
item Register, Karen
item Sacco, Randy
item PATTERSON, I.A. - SAC VET. SERV., UK

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/20/2003
Publication Date: 9/10/2003
Citation: FOSTER, G., REGISTER, K.B., SACCO, R.E., PATTERSON, I.P. RE-EMERGENCE OF BORDETELLA BRONCHISPETICA DURING THE RECENT SEAL MORBILLIVIRUS OUTBREAK. PROCEEDINGS OF THE SCOTTISH AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE OF VETERINARY SCIENCES CONFERENCE. SEPTEMBER 10-11, 2003. p. 21.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Bordetella bronchiseptica is a respiratory pathogen of numerous mammalian species. During the 1988 phocine morbillivirus outbreak in the North Sea B. bronchiseptica was a frequent secondary pathogen causing tracheitis and bronchopneumonia in common seals (Phoca vitulina). Once the outbreak was over the incidence of B. bronchiseptica dropped significantly with two isolates in 1993 and one in 1997 from a grey seal (Halichoerus grypus). Ribotyping and restriction endonuclease analysis of 31 of the seal B. bronchiseptica isolates, including one obtained independently from Denmark, as well as the three later strains revealed that they all belonged to a novel clone which had an identical Pvu II ribotype that differed from the 18 ribotypes previously detected from various other hosts. This exclusive relationship of a single ribotype for a particular host species has so far not been observed with other animals. In the Caspian sea during 2000 there was a morbillivirus outbreak amongst Caspian seals (Phoca caspica) and again B. bronchiseptica was often isolated as a secondary pathogen. Analysis of these isolates also demonstrated that they belonged to a single unique clone though it differed from the North Sea strains. In 2002 there was a new morbillivirus epidemic in the North Sea, which affected grey as well as common seals, during which a significant increase in the incidence of B. bronchiseptica was also evident in sick animals. Work is planned to determine whether the same clone is still active in North Sea seal populations or a different one has emerged. The Scottish Strandings Scheme is operated under contract to Defra. SAC receives financial support from the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD).