First report of Photobacterium damselae subspecies damselae in Razorbill (Alca torda)

Minichino, A.; Lucibelli, F.; Guardia, T.; Balestrieri, R.; Aceto, S.; Vaccaro, E.; Dipineto, L.; Sapio, M.; Santaniello, A.; De Luca Bossa, L. M.; D Alessio, N.; Fioretti, A.; Borrelli, L.

doi:10.1101/2025.05.15.654261

bioRxiv · 10.1101/2025.05.15.654261

First report of Photobacterium damselae subspecies damselae in Razorbill (Alca torda)

Minichino, A.·Lucibelli, F.·Guardia, T.·Balestrieri, R.·Aceto, S.·Vaccaro, E.·Dipineto, L.·Sapio, M.·Santaniello, A.·De Luca Bossa, L. M.·D Alessio, N.·Fioretti, A.·Borrelli, L.

View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

A razorbill (Alca torda) was found dead in Bacoli, Italy, on January 16, 2023, during an exceptional irruptive event. The bird, a young female weighing 800 g with a moderate nutritional status and no external traumatic injuries underwent a post-mortem examination, which revealed coelomitis with severe congestion of the liver, lungs, kidneys, and myocardium. Lung, liver, kidney, and heart samples were collected for microbiological and histopathological analyses. Bacterial isolation on blood agar showed the growth of spherical/ovoid colonies after 48 hours, consistent with the Photobacterium genus. Identification by MALDI-TOF MS and PCR confirmed the presence of Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae (Pdd), supported by 16S gene sequencing and detection of the ureC gene. PCR screening for virulence factors identified the hlyAch gene in lung samples, suggesting a potentially pathogenic strain in avian species. Histopathological examination showed severe, inflammatory infiltrates and widespread hemorrhages in the liver, the lung tissue and kidneys. In the myocardium, mild and multifocal lymphocytic infiltrates were present. These findings suggest a significant role of P. damselae subsp. damselae in the observed lesions. The results of the study revealed a new cross-species transmission of this potential zoonotic bacterium and the need for further research in this field. ImportanceWith this study we revealed the first isolation of Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae in a razorbill but especially the first in a migratory bird. We documented a new cross-species transmission of P. damselae subsp. damselae and the need for further research, highlighting its zoonotic potential and therefore raising concerns about potential implications for marine wildlife, aquaculture and human health. Considering the role of migratory birds in the spread of infectious diseases even over long distances and the effect of climate change on marine ecosystems, and consequently on the circulation of pathogens, it is essential to adopt a preventive approach to mitigate this potential zoonotic risks.

Source connections

Published article ↗

Explore related subjects

microbiology Preprint

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeX RIS

Minichino, A., Lucibelli, F., Guardia, T., Balestrieri, R., Aceto, S., Vaccaro, E., Dipineto, L., Sapio, M., Santaniello, A., De Luca Bossa, L. M., D Alessio, N., Fioretti, A., Borrelli, L.. 2025-05-17. First report of Photobacterium damselae subspecies damselae in Razorbill (Alca torda). https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.05.15.654261

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related preprints

bioRxiv2026

A population-scale landscape of the subgingival microbiome reveals divergent routes to periodontal dysbiosis

Periodontitis is an archetypical mucosal inflammatory disease in which microbiome dysbiosis at the tooth-epithelial interface interacts with host genetic and behavioral risk factors to drive immune-mediated tissue destruction. Although subgingival microbiome compositional shifts are thought to parallel disease severity, microbiome variation at the population-level and its relationship to periodontal clinical phenotypes and disease-modifying factors remain poorly defined. Here, we use unsupervised manifold learning to map the compositional landscape of the subgingival microbiome in 1,355 adults spanning periodontal health to severe periodontitis. We identified eight latent microbiome states organized along a branching continuum from eubiosis to dysbiosis. An intermediate microbial configuration marked ecological destabilization and bifurcation into two distinct periodontitis-associated dysbiotic trajectories, distinguished by links to gingival inflammation and smoking. Although the microbiome trajectories broadly tracked periodontal destruction, a minority of individuals showed discordant microbiome-clinical phenotypes, with some individuals with periodontitis retaining otherwise eubiotic microbiomes enriched for low-abundance pathobionts, while some cases of health or mild disease had highly dysbiotic communities, suggesting distinct host susceptibility. Together, these findings define a population-scale ecological landscape of the subgingival microbiome, reveal divergent trajectories to periodontal dysbiosis, and highlight heterogeneity in the relationship between microbial community structure and clinical disease expression.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2026

Beta-lactam enhancement against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus by cell wall blockade is autolysis-dependent: a butyrolactone derivative as case in point

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is non-susceptible to beta-lactams. Blockade of cell wall biosynthesis is a potential target for beta-lactam enhancement but requires further investigation. A butyrolactone derivative enhanced beta-lactams against MRSA strains by reducing the availability of D-Ala-D-Ala. Unlike D-cycloserine, it did not inhibit D-Ala-D-Ala ligase (Ddl). Nor did it show an additive or synergistic effect when combined with cycloserine, indicating a unique mechanism for blocking cell wall precursor production that does not involve the traditional Lipid II pathway. Notably, beta-lactam potentiation by our chemical or D-cycloserine was highly dependent on the intrinsic autolytic ability of the tested MRSA strains. Strains that resisted lysis upon Triton X-100 exposure showed a minimal increase in beta-lactam susceptibility, whereas highly autolytic strains showed significant changes in their beta-lactam MICs. We have thus identified autolytic ability as the Achilles Heel in the strategy of targeting cell wall biosynthesis for beta-lactam potentiation.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2026

Rapid and largely reversible shifts in the canine fecal metabolome during dietary change

Diet can rapidly change the fecal metabolome, but less is known about recovery after the original diet is restored. We used untargeted UPLC-MS metabolomics to analyze 72 fecal samples from nine Pumi dogs during an owner-managed switch from dry food to raw food and back to dry food. Diet phase accounted for a large proportion of variation in both ionization modes. More than 13,000 LC-MS features changed at the first sampling point after the switch to raw food, with a similarly large response after return to dry food. Among features significant in both comparisons, more than 99% changed in opposite directions. At the final sampling point, no positive-mode (ESI+) features and only 13 negative-mode (ESI-) features differed from the second dry-food baseline under the same threshold. BARF-associated patterns persisted in analyses excluding individual dogs and in pedigree-adjusted candidate models, although individual feature effects depended on normalization. Putative metabolites from several biochemical classes differed in their response and recovery. The fecal metabolome therefore changed rapidly and returned largely toward baseline, with differences among dogs.

microbiology↗