@article{mbs:/content/journal/ijsem/10.1099/ijs.0.02401-0, author = "Cousins, Debby V. and Bastida, Ricardo and Cataldi, Angel and Quse, Viviana and Redrobe, Sharon and Dow, Sue and Duignan, Padraig and Murray, Alan and Dupont, Christine and Ahmed, Niyaz and Collins, Des M. and Butler, W. Ray and Dawson, David and Rodríguez, Diego and Loureiro, Julio and Romano, Maria Isabel and Alito, A. and Zumarraga, M. and Bernardelli, Amelia", title = "Tuberculosis in seals caused by a novel member of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex: Mycobacterium pinnipedii sp. nov.", journal= "International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology", year = "2003", volume = "53", number = "5", pages = "1305-1314", doi = "https://doi.org/10.1099/ijs.0.02401-0", url = "https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/ijsem/10.1099/ijs.0.02401-0", publisher = "Microbiology Society", issn = "1466-5034", type = "Journal Article", keywords = "FAFLP, fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism", keywords = "TCH, thiophen-2-carboxylic acid hydrazide", keywords = "SS, seal spoligotype", keywords = "BCG, Bacille Calmette–Guérin", keywords = "PZA, pyrazinamide", abstract = "A comparison of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates from seals (pinnipeds) in Australia, Argentina, Uruguay, Great Britain and New Zealand was undertaken to determine their relationships to each other and their taxonomic position within the complex. Isolates from 30 cases of tuberculosis in six species of pinniped and seven related isolates were compared to representative and standard strains of the M. tuberculosis complex. The seal isolates could be distinguished from other members of the M. tuberculosis complex, including the recently defined ‘Mycobacterium canettii’ and ‘Mycobacterium caprae’, on the basis of host preference and phenotypic and genetic tests. Pinnipeds appear to be the natural host for this ‘seal bacillus’, although the organism is also pathogenic in guinea pigs, rabbits, humans, Brazilian tapir (Tapirus terrestris) and, possibly, cattle. Infection caused by the seal bacillus is predominantly associated with granulomatous lesions in the peripheral lymph nodes, lungs, pleura, spleen and peritoneum. Cases of disseminated disease have been found. As with other members of the M. tuberculosis complex, aerosols are the most likely route of transmission. The name Mycobacterium pinnipedii sp. nov. is proposed for this novel member of the M. tuberculosis complex (the type strain is 6482T=ATCC BAA-688T=NCTC 13288T).", }