Traqueal and cloacal fungi of the antarctic skuas Catharacta spp

LEOTTA G.; REINOSO E.H.; CÓRDOBA S.; MONTALTI D.; GUNSKI R.

Buenos Aires

Congreso; XIV Congress of the International Society for Human and Animal Mycology; 2000

Fungi are know to be pathogens in seabirds, such as Aspergillus and Candida. No data about fungi were reported in skuas. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of fungi in Catharacta sp. an classify the genus isolated. Samples (30) from trachea and cloacae were taken from the 10% of the Potter Peninsula, 25 de Mayo Island population of this birds. Then, streaked in Sabouraud Agar with the addition of dextrose, yeast extract and Cloramphenicol during 10 days at 28ºC. The study revealed a prevalence of fungi in 53% an 73% of the trachea and cloacae samples, respectively. The fungi genus most frequently isolated of the trachea were Cladosporium, Cryptococcus, Rhodotorula, Curvularia, Penicillium, Eurotium, Aspergillus, Candida and Thelebolus; and the cloacal fungi genus were Thelebolus, Cryptococcus, Rhodotorula, Candida, Penicillium and Cladosporium. As far we concerned, this is the first mycologic study conducted in Catharacta sp. A high prevalence of genus known and other suspected to be pathogens, was identified. Further studies are needed to clarify the pathogenic role of many of these isolated fungi.