I
would like to draw readers’ attention to the following paper recently published
on line by the Veterinary Record
N. J. Davison, L. L. Perrett, R. J. Law, C. E. Dawson, E.
J. Stubberfield, R. J. Monies, R. Deaville, P. D. Jepson
Infection with Brucella ceti and high levels of
polychlorinated biphenyls in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)
stranded in south-west England
Abstract: 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).
Veterinary
Record 2011;169:14 Published Online
First: 15 June 2011 doi:10.1136/vr.d2714