| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2466780 | Veterinary Microbiology | 2013 | 5 Pages |
Abstract
Whale strandings remain poorly understood, although bacterial infections have been suggested to contribute. We isolated Edwardsiella tarda from the blood of a stranded sperm whale. The pathogen was identified with MALDI-TOF MS, confirmed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and quantified in blood by qPCR. We report the first case of sepsis in a sperm whale. The zoonotic potential of E. tarda and the possible role of bacterial infections in the enigmatic strandings of cetaceans are discussed.
Related Topics
Life Sciences
Agricultural and Biological Sciences
Animal Science and Zoology
Authors
Piet Cools, Jan Haelters, Guido Lopes dos Santos Santiago, Geert Claeys, Jerina Boelens, Isabel Leroux-Roels, Mario Vaneechoutte, Pieter Deschaght,