Abstract
To investigate the association between genital bacterial infection and urogenital carcinoma in California sea lions (Zalophus californianus), vaginal and preputial swabs for bacterial isolation were taken from 148 free-ranging and 51 stranded California sea lions including 16 animals with urogenital carcinoma. Cytological examination of vaginal or preputial smears showed a majority (65.5%, 57/87) of animals examined had mild or no inflammation. Aerobic bacteria were isolated from 116 (78.4%) wild sea lions and 100% of stranded animals. A total of 403 isolates were identified representing 51 unique bacterial species. The median number of isolates per animal increased with age in the wild group, but there was no difference in the number of isolates per animal between wild and stranded adults. The most common bacteria isolated from the wild sea lions were Psychrobacter phenylpyruvicus (39 isolates), non-hemolytic Streptococcus (35 isolates), Corynebacterium spp. (30 isolates), and Escherichia coli (20 isolates). More bacterial species were isolated from stranded animals than wild animals (33 versus 26) and there was significantly less growth of P. phenylpyruvicus, Corynebacterium spp., and Moraxella-like spp. in the stranded animals. Beta-hemolytic Streptococcus was the only bacterium significantly associated with urogenital carcinomas in California sea lions, but only in females.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 94-103 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Veterinary Microbiology |
| Volume | 114 |
| Issue number | 1-2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Apr 16 2006 |
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Keywords
- Bacteria
- Microbiology
- Sea lion
- Streptococcus phocae
- Urogenital carcinoma
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Animal Science and Zoology
- Microbiology
- veterinary(all)
Cite this
Aerobic bacterial flora of the vagina and prepuce of California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) and investigation of associations with urogenital carcinoma. / Johnson, Shawn; Lowenstine, Linda J; Gulland, Frances; Jang, Spencer; Imai, Denise; Almy, Frederic; DeLong, Robert; Gardner, Ian.
In: Veterinary Microbiology, Vol. 114, No. 1-2, 16.04.2006, p. 94-103.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Aerobic bacterial flora of the vagina and prepuce of California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) and investigation of associations with urogenital carcinoma
AU - Johnson, Shawn
AU - Lowenstine, Linda J
AU - Gulland, Frances
AU - Jang, Spencer
AU - Imai, Denise
AU - Almy, Frederic
AU - DeLong, Robert
AU - Gardner, Ian
PY - 2006/4/16
Y1 - 2006/4/16
N2 - To investigate the association between genital bacterial infection and urogenital carcinoma in California sea lions (Zalophus californianus), vaginal and preputial swabs for bacterial isolation were taken from 148 free-ranging and 51 stranded California sea lions including 16 animals with urogenital carcinoma. Cytological examination of vaginal or preputial smears showed a majority (65.5%, 57/87) of animals examined had mild or no inflammation. Aerobic bacteria were isolated from 116 (78.4%) wild sea lions and 100% of stranded animals. A total of 403 isolates were identified representing 51 unique bacterial species. The median number of isolates per animal increased with age in the wild group, but there was no difference in the number of isolates per animal between wild and stranded adults. The most common bacteria isolated from the wild sea lions were Psychrobacter phenylpyruvicus (39 isolates), non-hemolytic Streptococcus (35 isolates), Corynebacterium spp. (30 isolates), and Escherichia coli (20 isolates). More bacterial species were isolated from stranded animals than wild animals (33 versus 26) and there was significantly less growth of P. phenylpyruvicus, Corynebacterium spp., and Moraxella-like spp. in the stranded animals. Beta-hemolytic Streptococcus was the only bacterium significantly associated with urogenital carcinomas in California sea lions, but only in females.
AB - To investigate the association between genital bacterial infection and urogenital carcinoma in California sea lions (Zalophus californianus), vaginal and preputial swabs for bacterial isolation were taken from 148 free-ranging and 51 stranded California sea lions including 16 animals with urogenital carcinoma. Cytological examination of vaginal or preputial smears showed a majority (65.5%, 57/87) of animals examined had mild or no inflammation. Aerobic bacteria were isolated from 116 (78.4%) wild sea lions and 100% of stranded animals. A total of 403 isolates were identified representing 51 unique bacterial species. The median number of isolates per animal increased with age in the wild group, but there was no difference in the number of isolates per animal between wild and stranded adults. The most common bacteria isolated from the wild sea lions were Psychrobacter phenylpyruvicus (39 isolates), non-hemolytic Streptococcus (35 isolates), Corynebacterium spp. (30 isolates), and Escherichia coli (20 isolates). More bacterial species were isolated from stranded animals than wild animals (33 versus 26) and there was significantly less growth of P. phenylpyruvicus, Corynebacterium spp., and Moraxella-like spp. in the stranded animals. Beta-hemolytic Streptococcus was the only bacterium significantly associated with urogenital carcinomas in California sea lions, but only in females.
KW - Bacteria
KW - Microbiology
KW - Sea lion
KW - Streptococcus phocae
KW - Urogenital carcinoma
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33645223896&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=33645223896&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.vetmic.2005.11.045
DO - 10.1016/j.vetmic.2005.11.045
M3 - Article
C2 - 16326045
AN - SCOPUS:33645223896
VL - 114
SP - 94
EP - 103
JO - Veterinary Microbiology
JF - Veterinary Microbiology
SN - 0378-1135
IS - 1-2
ER -