Dear colleagues, Myself and my co authors are please to announce a new publication arising from our research on stranded Indo-Pacific finless porpoises in Hong Kong.
Nathalie F. Mauroo, Rosana W. S. Poon, Philip S. L. Beh, Patrick C. Y. Woo; Detection of _Brucella ceti_ in Two Indo-Pacific Finless Porpoises (_Neophocaena Phocaenoides_) Stranded in Hong Kong. _J Wildl Dis_ 1 July 2020; 56 (3): 698-701. doi: https://doi.org/10.7589/2019-05-113 Abstract _Brucella ceti_ has been detected in several species of free-ranging odontocetes, in several geographic areas but it has not been reported in Indo-Pacific finless porpoises (_Neophocaena phocaenoides_) nor in any odontocetes in waters in the South China Sea. Sampling of odontocetes stranded in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China, was carried out as part of a stranding monitoring program to evaluate the pathogens harbored by these threatened species. A real-time PCR method targeting the _Brucella_ genus-specific 31kDa _Brucella_ cell surface salt extractable (_bcsp31_) gene, gene sequencing, and phylogenetic characterisation produced three PCR products of the expected size and sequence, from two stranded Indo-Pacific finless porpoises. The PCR products were obtained from brain tissue from of a neonate and from mammary fluid from a sexually mature female. Further testing for this pathogen should be performed to determine whether _Brucella ceti_ might have a detrimental effect on reproduction and calf survival in Indo-Pacific finless porpoises and pose a threat to the conservation of this species. The importance of biosafety and biosecurity measures when handling cetaceans or their tissues and products in the South China Sea is also highlighted. Best wishes, Nathalie Dr Nathalie Mauroo, DVM, PhD, CertZooMed,MRCVS nmau...@hkwhf.org.hk Hong Kong Wildlife Health Foundation www.hkwhf.org.hk
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