First case of Shewanella indica isolated from a Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni) stranded in the northern Beibu Gulf, China

• Published in: Antonie van Leeuwenhoek Vol. 113; no. 9; pp. 1385 - 1391
• Main Authors: Li, Jia, McLaughlin, Richard W., Chen, Mo, Liu, Ying Li, Xie, Hia Xia, Wan, Xiao Ling, Zhou, Jun Ying, Zheng, Jin Song
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.09.2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Abscesses; Algae; Aminoglycosides; Antibiotics; Aquatic mammals; Bacteria; Balaenoptera edeni; Biofilms; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Gene sequencing; Hemolysis; Life Sciences; Medical Microbiology; Microbiology; Plant Sciences; Quinolones; rRNA 16S; Shewanella; Short Communication; Soil Science & Conservation; Stranding; Virulence; Virulence factors; β-Lactam antibiotics; China; Antibacterial susceptibility; Biofilm; Biochemical characteristics; Bryde’s whale
• ISSN: 0003-6072; 1572-9699
• DOI: 10.1007/s10482-020-01444-z

The purpose of this study was to culture and characterise bacteria from an intact abscess on the skin of a dead Bryde’s whale ( Balaenoptera edeni ) which stranded in the northern Beibu Gulf, China. To grow bacteria, samples from the abscess were added to blood agar. After incubation, yellowish mucous colonies were visualized. The bacterium was firstly recognised as Shewanella algae by the VITEK® 2 System. However, by using 16S rRNA gene sequencing the bacterium was finally identified as S. indica . To characterise the bacterium, antibiotic susceptibility and virulence factors, such as hemolysis and biofilm formation were investigated. The bacterium is capable of β-hemolysis and biofilm formation and it is also sensitive to several different classes of antibiotics, such as β-lactams, quinolones, and aminoglycosides. To date there have been no reports of this bacterium causing infections in humans or animals. However, in this study we described the first case of S. indica isolated from an intact abscess on the back of a Bryde’s whale.