Nasal, oral and rectal microbiota of Black lion tamarins (Leontopithecus chrysopygus)

Black lion tamarins (Leontopithecus chrysopygus) are endangered callithrichids. Their conservation may require future translocations or reintroductions; however these approaches involve risks of pathogen introduction in the environment and stress-related opportunistic infections in these animals. In order to screen for opportunistic and potential pathogenic bacterial and fungal microbiota, ten free-ranging and ten captive Black lion tamarins were studied and the results compared. Nasal, oral and rectal swabs were collected and cultured for aerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria and fungi, and a total 203 bacterial and 84 fungal isolates were obtained. Overall, the most frequent organisms were Staphylococcus spp., Bacillus spp., Candida spp. and Aspergillus spp. Microbiota of free-ranging and captive animals were similar in composition. A number of potentially pathogenic organisms were identified, emphasizing the importance of microbiological screening in future translocation or reintroduction conservation management programs.

Nasal, oral and rectal microbiota of Black lion tamarins (Leontopithecus chrysopygus).

Black lion tamarins (Leontopithecus chrysopygus) are endangered callithrichids. Their conservation may require future translocations or reintroductions; however these approaches involve risks of pathogen introduction in the environment and stress-related opportunistic infections in these animals. In order to screen for opportunistic and potential pathogenic bacterial and fungal microbiota, ten free-ranging and ten captive Black lion tamarins were studied and the results compared. Nasal, oral and rectal swabs were collected and cultured for aerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria and fungi, and a total 203 bacterial and 84 fungal isolates were obtained. Overall, the most frequent organisms were Staphylococcus spp., Bacillus spp., Candida spp. and Aspergillus spp. Microbiota of free-ranging and captive animals were similar in composition. A number of potentially pathogenic organisms were identified, emphasizing the importance of microbiological screening in future translocation or reintroduction conservation management programs.

Phenotypical characterization of Candida spp. isolated from crop of parrots (Amazona spp) / Caracterização fenotípica de Candida spp. isoladas de inglúvio de papagaios (Amazona spp)

The purpose of this study was to characterize Candida isolates from crop of parrots. Forty baby parrots of genus Amazona, species aestiva and amazonica that were apprehended from wild animal traffic were used: 18 presented ingluvitis and 22 other alterations, but showing general debilitation. Samples were seeded on Sabouraud dextrose agar with chloramphenicol after be obtained by the introduction of urethral probe through the esophagus. Based on morphology and biochemical reactions (API 20C) Candida was confirmed; it was still searched the production of proteinase and phospholipase, virulence factors for Candida species. Candida spp. were isolated from 57.5 percent parrots, being 72.2 percent from birds with ingluvitis and 45.5 percent from without ones. Twenty-five strains of Candida were isolated, 60 percent and 40 percent, respectively from parrots with and without ingluvitis, and were speciated: 28 percent C. humicola, 24 percent C. parapsilosis, 20 percent C. guilliermondii, 20 percent C. famata, and 8 percent C. albicans. These results demonstrate that C. albicans is not the most frequent species isolated, and it is the first report that shows C. guilliermondii, C. famata, and C. humicola causing infection in parrots. Many isolates presented filamentation (76 percent), 100 percent produced proteinase and 68 percent phospholipase. The observation of Candida spp. producing virulence factors reinforce the pathogenic role of these yeasts in the cases studied.

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi caracterizar cepas de Candida spp. isoladas de inglúvio de papagaios. Foram utilizados 40 papagaios do gênero Amazona, espécies aestiva e amazonica, apreendidos de tráfico de animais selvagens: 18 apresentavam ingluvite e 22 outras alterações, mas todos mostrando sinais de debilitação geral. Colheram-se as amostras clínicas através da introdução de sonda uretral no esôfago dos animais e estas foram semeadas em ágar Sabouraud dextrose acrescido de cloranfenicol. A identificação das espécies de Candida foi baseada em características macro e micromorfológicas e comportamento bioquímico no kit API 20C; pesquisou-se ainda a produção das enzimas proteinase e fosfolipase. Isolou-se Candida spp. de 57,5 por cento dos papagaios, sendo 72,2 por cento de aves com ingluvite e 45,5 por cento de aves com outras afecções. Isolaram-se 25 cepas de Candida, 60 por cento e 40 por cento respectivamente de animais com e sem ingluvite. As espécies isoladas foram: C. humicola (28 por cento), C. parapsilosis (24 por cento), C. guilliermondii (20 por cento), C. famata (20 por cento) e C. albicans (8 por cento). Os resultados obtidos demonstram que C. albicans não é a espécie mais freqüentemente isolada e é a primeira vez que se relata C. guilliermondii, C. famata e C. humicola causando infecção em papagaios. A maioria dos isolados apresentou filamentação (76 por cento) e produziu a enzima fosfolipase (68 por cento) e todas as cepas produziram proteinase. O encontro de Candida spp., produzindo seus fatores de virulência, reforça o papel patogênico dessas leveduras nos casos estudados.

Isolation of Malassezia pachydermatis and M. sympodialis from the external ear canal of cats with and without otitis externa.

The objective of this study was to determine the presence of Malassezia spp. in the external ear canal of cats with and without otitis. Forty-five animals were studied, 20 with and 25 without otitis externa (OE). Cerumen or secretion from external ear canal samples was cultured on modified Mycosel agar and sterile olive oil was added to the surface of the medium before specimen seeding. The isolates were analysed for macro- and micromorphology and identified by catalase tests and on the basis of growth on Tween 20, 40, 60 and 80. Malassezia spp. were isolated from 15 out of 20 (75%) animals with otitis and from 7 out of 25 (28%) cats without OE; the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P < or = 0.05). Malassezia pachydermatis and M. sympodialis were isolated from 60% (12/20) and 40% (8/20) of cats with otitis, respectively, with no significant difference in the frequency of isolation between the two species. In the microflora of the healthy ear canal M. pachydermatis was significantly more common (6/25, 24%) than M sympodialis (1/25, 4%). The present investigation confirms that M. sympodialis can also act as an aetiological agent of feline OE, and if commercial veterinary laboratories do not use media with added lipids for the isolation of Malassezia spp., this might lead to false-negative results.