Role of birds of prey as carriers and spreaders ofCryptococcus neoformansand other zoonotic yeasts

Abstract

In the last 20 years, cases of human cryptococcosis, have increased in immunocompromised patients. In several instances, the cases have been associated with the exposure of the patients to bird droppings. In order to investigate birds of prey as potential carriers and spreaders of Cryptococcus neoformans and other yeasts of importance in human infections, 182 swab samples were collected from the cloacae of several species of birds of prey (Group I) and 32 faecal samples from aviaries in which the birds were housed (Group II). Samples were also taken from digestive tract of 60 dead birds (Group III). A total of 454 samples were cultured from which 215 colonies of yeastlike fungi were recovered and identified. Cryptococcusneoformans var. grubii was isolated from three cloacae samples (4.8%) collected from Falco tinnunculus and from one sample (3.1%) obtained from Buteo buteo, as well as from samples collected at the aviaries in which these birds were kept. Overall, 18 samples (9.9%) from Group I, 13 (40.6%) from Group II, 12 crops (20%), three proventriculi (5%) and 12 cloacae (20%) from Group III yielded positive cultures for yeasts. The results indicate that birds of prey and in particular, F. tinnunculus and B. buteo, may act as carriers and spreaders of C. neoformans and other zoonotic yeasts.

Candidiasis in a Parakeet an Avenue to Zooanthroponosis

“…Candida spp. and Cryptococcus neoformans are the most common micro-organisms involved in human infections (Cafarchia et al, 2006(Cafarchia et al, , 2008. We speculate that parakeet inadvertently ingest yeast with their food which might be contaminated with human environments.…”

“…The bird was diagnosed as candidiasis as previous researchers isolated (Moretti et al, 2000;Cafarchia et al, 2006) and treated antifungal drugs like Fluconazole was advised (Abbes et al,2011). Garcia et al (2007) reported that Candida albicans.…”

Candidose na medicina veterinária: um enfoque micológico, clínico e terapêutico

“…Sabe-se, no entanto, que espécies do gênero habitam sítios como tubo digestivo, mucosas e pele de variados animais, incluindo muitos pássaros (CAFARCHIA et al, 2006). Dentre todas as Candida spp., a C. albicans é a mais presente, podendo ser isolada principalmente dos sistemas gastrintestinal, respiratório e genital, tendo predileção pela superfície de mucosas e pelas áreas de junções mucocutâneas de animais de sangue quente (ELAD et al, 1998;FERREIRO et al, 2002;BRITO et al, 2005;JADHAV & PAL, 2006;GARCIA et al, 2007).…”

“…Leveduras do gênero Candida também são encontradas como parte da microbiota do trato digestivo de diversas aves, tais como pombos, perus, aves de rapina, aves migratórias, aves industriais, drentre outras (CAFARCHIA et al, 2006, FULLERINGER et al, 2006CAFARCHIA et al, 2008). De acordo com CARFACHIA et al, (2006), as aves transportam em sua cloaca leveduras potencialmente patogênicas, sendo capazes de disseminar esses fungos no ambiente, o que é um problema quando se trata de aves criadas em confinamento (FULLERINGER et al, 2006).…”

Avaliação da criptocococe experimental sistêmica em camundongos BALB/c e terapêutica com anfotericina B, fluconazol e associação.

“…Cryptococcus neoformans variedade neoformans é uma levedura patogênica oportunista encontrada em ocos de arvores (REIMÃO et al, 2007) e excretas de pombos e outros pássaros (MONTENEGRO e PAULA, 2000;LACAZ et al, 2002;LITVINTSEVA et al, 2005;CHEE e LEE, 2005;BARONI et al, 2006;CAFARCHIA et al, 2006).…”