TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevalence of antibodies against Brucella spp. in West Greenland polar bears (Ursus maritimus) and East Greenland muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus)
AU - Sonne, Christian
AU - Andersen-Ranberg, Emilie
AU - Rajala, Elisabeth L.
AU - Agerholm, Jørgen S.
AU - Bonefeld-Jørgensen, Eva
AU - Desforges, Jean Pierre
AU - Eulaers, Igor
AU - Gustavson, Kim
AU - Jenssen, Bjørn M.
AU - Koch, Anders
AU - Rosing-Asvid, Aqqalu
AU - Schmidt, Niels Martin
AU - Grøndahl, Carsten
AU - Mosbacher, Jesper B.
AU - Siebert, Ursula
AU - Tryland, Morten
AU - Mulvad, Gert
AU - Born, Erik W.
AU - Laidre, Kristin
AU - Wiig, Øystein
AU - Dietz, Rune
AU - Magnusson, Ulf
PY - 2018
Y1 - 2018
N2 - Zoonotic infections transmitted from terrestrial and marine mammals to humans in European Arctic are of unknown significance, despite considerable potential for transmission due to local hunt and a rapidly changing environment. As an example, infection with Brucella bacteria may have significant impact on human health due to consumption of raw meat or otherwise contact with tissues and fluids of infected game species such as muskoxen and polar bears. Here, we present serological results for Baffin Bay polar bears (Ursus maritimus) (n = 96) and North East Greenland muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) (n = 32) for antibodies against Brucella spp. The analysis was a two-step trial initially using the Rose Bengal Test (RBT), followed by confirmative competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays of RBT-positive samples. No muskoxen had antibodies against Brucella spp., while antibodies were detected in six polar bears (6.25%) rendering a seroprevalence in line with previous findings in other Arctic regions. Seropositivity was not related to sex, age or biometrics i.e. size and body condition. Whether Brucella spp. antibodies found in polar bears were due to either prey spill over or true recurrent Brucella spp. infections is unknown. Our results therefore highlight the importance of further research into the zoonotic aspects of Brucella spp. infections, and the impact on wildlife and human health in the Arctic region.
AB - Zoonotic infections transmitted from terrestrial and marine mammals to humans in European Arctic are of unknown significance, despite considerable potential for transmission due to local hunt and a rapidly changing environment. As an example, infection with Brucella bacteria may have significant impact on human health due to consumption of raw meat or otherwise contact with tissues and fluids of infected game species such as muskoxen and polar bears. Here, we present serological results for Baffin Bay polar bears (Ursus maritimus) (n = 96) and North East Greenland muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) (n = 32) for antibodies against Brucella spp. The analysis was a two-step trial initially using the Rose Bengal Test (RBT), followed by confirmative competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays of RBT-positive samples. No muskoxen had antibodies against Brucella spp., while antibodies were detected in six polar bears (6.25%) rendering a seroprevalence in line with previous findings in other Arctic regions. Seropositivity was not related to sex, age or biometrics i.e. size and body condition. Whether Brucella spp. antibodies found in polar bears were due to either prey spill over or true recurrent Brucella spp. infections is unknown. Our results therefore highlight the importance of further research into the zoonotic aspects of Brucella spp. infections, and the impact on wildlife and human health in the Arctic region.
KW - Arctic
KW - Humans
KW - One health
KW - Zoonosis
U2 - 10.1007/s00300-018-2307-4
DO - 10.1007/s00300-018-2307-4
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85044097852
SN - 0722-4060
VL - 41
SP - 1671
EP - 1680
JO - Polar Biology
JF - Polar Biology
IS - 9
ER -
