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SAC Research Sheds Light on Disease in Sea Mammals

SAC News Release Ref. No: 11N122
Published: 17 Oct 2011

Dead Fin whale after stranding (opens in new window)

Long term research by SAC (Scottish Agricultural College) is shedding more light on the role disease plays in the successful survival of sea mammals, including whales, seals and dolphins. SAC microbiologist Dr Geoff Foster has identified several infections including brucellosis, which in its land-based form, can cause abortion in farm livestock and affect their breeding cycles. Geoff Foster has just been awarded a PhD for his research.

Inverness based Dr Foster works closely with SAC colleagues taking part in the Scottish Marine Animals Stranding Scheme. They advise on live strandings and carry out post mortems on casualty animals to discover why they died. Geoff Foster isolated bacteria from cetaceans and seals landing on the Scottish coastline and was sent samples from elsewhere in Europe, the Caspian Sea and Antarctica.

Following Dr Foster’s original discovery, brucellosis is now also recognised as endemic amongst animals in the world’s oceans and seas. However, while the marine Brucella may have been identified Geoff Foster says more needs to be understood.

“We do know that Brucella is responsible for neurobrucellosis which can cause meningitis and has resulted in the live stranding and death of some cetaceans. However our knowledge on the extent these bacteria impact in other ways on cetaceans, seals and otters is limited.”

“For example it is well known that brucellosis has major effects on the reproductive success of farm livestock due to spontaneous abortion and male infertility. While we have found evidence of Brucella infection in male reproductive tissue of cetaceans, it will be a major challenge to find evidence of abortion in the vast oceans. But the most important question we need to answer is the potential impact on the breeding success of discrete groups and especially for species with low population numbers, like the dolphins in the Moray Firth”.

British livestock have been declared free of brucellosis (commonly called contagious abortion) for the last 25 years. However the WHO/FAO regard the disease as the most important bacterial zoonosis in the world.  Zoonois are disease which can, in some cases, infect humans, although there is little evidence of anyone catching the disease from marine mammals.

Dr Foster’s detailed analysis of the bacteria that infect marine mammals , has added significantly to what was previously a little understood aspect of marine life. His research has been invaluable in understand more about why marine animals like whales and dolphins get sick or die. While a lot is known about the bacteriology of humans and land- living creatures, much less is known about the organisms infecting marine mammals or their potential to act as zoonotic (human disease causing) agents. 

Not only has Marine mammal Brucella  proved to be distinct from those infecting land animals, there are differences between those strains living with cetaceans and those in seals or otters. An international group led by Geoff Foster recently described two new species, Brucella ceti  in  cetaceans and Brucella pinnipedialis from seals and otters.

In addition Dr Foster has also identified many other zoonotic bacteria from marine mammals. A Salmonella species living in lung tissue of harbour porpoises rather than the intestines which is the normal tissue in which Salmonella resides. Salmonella are known to cause gastroenteritis and septicaemia in humans.  Another new organism is Campylobacter insulaenigrae which belongs to another group of bacteria associated with human enteric infections and occasionally other diseases.

SAC acknowledges the support of the DEFRA and Scottish Government Marine Directorate which this year has provide over £160,000 or 80% of the Stranding Scheme budget.

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News Release Contacts

SAC Contact

Mr Geoff Foster
Microbiology Functional Manager
SAC (Scottish Agricultural College) Work SAC, Inverness Veterinary Centre, Drummond Hill, Stratherrick Road,
Inverness
IV2 4JZ
TelWork 01463 243030

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News Release Issued By

Mr Ken Rundle
Senior Communications Officer
SAC (Scottish Agricultural College) Work SAC, King's Buildings, West Mains Road,
Edinburgh
EH9 3JG
TelWork 0131 535 4196

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