O9-1 Isolation of Brucella suis biovar 2 in a male roe deer (capreolus caprolus), in central italy

Abstract

In May 2022, a moribund male roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) was rescued near Spoleto (Umbria region, Italy) and admitted to a Wildlife Rescue Center. On clinical examination, the subject, in older age, showed severe cachexia, disorientation, motor difficulties and marked increase in volume of the scrotal sac. The animal died few hours after admission. Anatomopathological examination and subsequent diagnostic tests were performed by IZSUM. Post mortem external examination showed ticks infestation, poor body condition score and a dorsal abscess of approximately 10 cm diameter. The animal showed reddened lungs and severe renal congestion, suggesting a stress myopathy as cause of death. The left scrotum appeared significantly increased in volume (10×6 cm) and, on cut surface, it showed areas of fibrosis with caseous-purulent orchitis in a well- organized abscess. The right one was slightly smaller in size (6×4 cm) and showed purulent epididymitis and orchitis. Serum was subjected to Rose Bengal test (RBT) and complement fixation test (CFT) for Brucellosis according to WOAH procedure. Spleen, kidney, liver, testes and testicular lymph nodes were taken for molecular (Fast qPCR) and bacteriologica investigations, while histology was performed also on epididymis and ascellar lymph nodes. RBT and CFT were both positive. CFT title was ≥ 1702,4 IU/ml. PCR resulted positive for Brucella spp.. WOAH procedures for Brucella isolation were performed and after one week of incubation, Brucella spp. strain was isolated from testis samples. The National Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, at the IZS in Teramo, confirmed the presence of Brucella spp. and typing the isolated strains as Brucella suis serovar 2. Brucella suis can infect domestic and wild species. Brucella suis biovar 2 is the main strain responsible for brucellosis in wild boars in Italy and in Europe. This is the first case of Brucella suis isolation from a roe deer in Italy. Brucellosis in this roe deer might have been a consequence of transmission between the wild boar population and wild ruminants. In-depth epidemiological investigations of the affected territory will be necessary to understand the dynamics of the infection in wildlife and its potential spread to extensively farmed domestic species.