Filamentous Fungi Transported by Birds During Migration Across the Mediterranean Sea

Abstract

The potential for the transport and diffusion of some pathogenic microorganisms by migratory birds is of concern. Migratory birds may be involved in the dispersal of microorganisms and may play a role of mechanical and biological vectors. The efficiency of dispersal of pathogenic microorganisms depends on a wide range of biotic and abiotic factors that influence the survival or disappearance of a given agent in a geographical area. In the present study, 349 migratory birds were captured in four sites (Mazara del Vallo, Lampedusa, Ustica and Linosa), representing the main stop-over points during spring and autumnal migration, and analyzed for the presence of filamentous fungi. A total of 2,337 filamentous fungi were isolated from 216 birds and identified by a combined phenotypic-genotypic approach to species level. Twelve species were identified in the study, with Cladosporium cladosporioides, Alternaria alternata, and Aspergillus niger as the most abundant. The transport of these fungal species isolated in this study is of considerable importance because some of these species can create dangers to human health.

Yeasts and moulds contaminants of food ice cubes and their survival in different drinks

“…Sequencing of the 5·8S‐ITS rRNA gene were performed as described by Alfonzo et al . (). PCR reactions were performed using the primer pair ITS1f/ITS4 in a 40 μ l reaction volume.…”

Jaminaea phylloscopi sp. nov. (Microstromatales), a basidiomycetous yeast isolated from migratory birds in the Mediterranean basin

“…Among them, five phenotypically similar isolates were preliminarily classified as basidiomycetous yeasts and stored for further investigation. In the present study, we show that these isolates represent five distinct strains of a novel species of the order Microstromatales.Birds were sampled during the migration from subSaharan areas to Europe in Ustica (388 429 N 138 109 480 E; sample date: 2-4 May 2009) (Alfonzo et al, 2013), an island north of Sicily (Italy) that represents one of the most important stop-over sites in the Mediterranean basin . Animals were captured, ringed and identified following the procedures reported by Mullarney et al (1999) and Kaiser (1993).…”

“…Recent studies have been focused on the diversity and ecology of ascomycetous yeasts carried by migratory birds (Cafarchia et al, 2006a; Cafarchia et al, 2006b;Francesca et al, 2010Francesca et al, , 2012 During an investigation of fungal diversity associated with cloacae of migratory birds in Ustica, several species of filamentous fungi were isolated and characterized (Alfonzo et al, 2013). Among them, five phenotypically similar isolates were preliminarily classified as basidiomycetous yeasts and stored for further investigation.…”

“…Birds were sampled during the migration from subSaharan areas to Europe in Ustica (388 429 N 138 109 480 E; sample date: 2-4 May 2009) (Alfonzo et al, 2013), an island north of Sicily (Italy) that represents one of the most important stop-over sites in the Mediterranean basin . Animals were captured, ringed and identified following the procedures reported by Mullarney et al (1999) and Kaiser (1993).…”

“…Animals were captured, ringed and identified following the procedures reported by Mullarney et al (1999) and Kaiser (1993). Cloacae of the birds were analysed for the presence of fungi as reported by Alfonzo et al (2013). Yeast cultures were purified on malt extract agar.…”