Presentations

Brucella canis is the etiological agent of canine brucellosis, a contagious zoonotic disease, causing abortion, inflammation of the reproductive organs and infertility in dogs. Serology surveys haven’t proved the presence of the bacteria in Hungary so far.

Two aborted fetuses and a placenta were submitted for laboratory examination in June, 2009. Brucella sp. was isolated from the samples. The Gram-negative and modified acid-fast, small coccobacilli demonstrated oxidase, catalase and urease activity, but failed to produce H2S. The strain showed rough (R) colony morphology with crystal violet staining and agglutination with anti-R monospecific sera. Isolate was misidentified as B. suis with the “Bruce-ladder” method in the first round of molecular examinations. However, subsequent single nucleotide polymorphism typing correctly identified the strain as B. canis

The breeding kennel population consisted of 31 dogs. Failure of conception occurred in 4 animals, while late term abortions or premature litters were presented by 6 animals from October, 2008. Vaginal and throat swabs for bacteria isolation, and blood samples for culture and serology were collected from all dogs. B. canis was recovered from the blood culture of an aborted bitch, a stud dog and a female puppy while vaginal sample of the aborted bitch was positive as well. Serum samples were tested with Rose-Bengal test for the presence of R-type (B. canis) specific antibodies, while Rose-Bengal test, serum agglutination test and complement fixation test were used for the detection of smooth (S)-type (B. suis) antibodies. Six dogs, including the previous three, were euthanized and submitted for diagnostic examination. Homogenized tissues (lymph nodes, liver, spleen) of the stud dog and the female puppy were positive for bacterial culture. Hyperimmun serum, produced in rabbits, was succesfully used for immunohistochemical staining of paraffin-embedded tissues.

The first known outbreak of B. canis infection in Hungary is described based on the results of state of the art, modern diagnostic techniques and the associated epizootiology data.