Wild waterfowl as potential vectors of Vibrio cholerae and Aeromonas species

Trop Med Int Health. 2018 Jul;23(7):758-764. doi: 10.1111/tmi.13069. Epub 2018 May 30.

Abstract

Objective: To study the hypothesis that migratory waterfowl are possible disseminators of Vibrio cholerae and Aeromonas.

Methods: We monitored the presence of V. cholerae and Aeromonas in three wild waterfowl species.

Results: V. cholerae and Aeromonas species were isolated and identified from intestine samples of little egrets and black-crowned night herons. Only Aeromonas species were isolated from black-headed gulls. The majority of Aeromonas isolates were A. veronii. Twenty-three V. cholerae serogroups were identified. V. cholerae serogroup O1 was found in the intestine DNA extractions from four little egrets and black-crowned night herons; six birds carried cholera toxin subunit A gene.

Conclusion: Wild waterfowl species may carry pathogenic V. cholerae O1 and non-O1 serogroups and Aeromonas species in their intestine. The migration of waterfowl is a potential mechanism for global distribution of V. cholerae and Aeromonas.

Keywords: Aeromonas; Vibrio cholerae; Aeromonas; V. cholerae; cholera toxin; dispersion; epidemiology; host; hôte; oiseau aquatique; sauvagine; toxine cholérique; waterbird; waterfowl; épidémiologie.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aeromonas / genetics
  • Aeromonas / isolation & purification*
  • Animals
  • Animals, Wild / microbiology
  • Bird Diseases / epidemiology
  • Bird Diseases / transmission*
  • Birds
  • Charadriiformes
  • Cholera / epidemiology*
  • Cholera / transmission
  • Disease Vectors*
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / epidemiology*
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / transmission
  • Humans
  • Israel / epidemiology
  • Vibrio cholerae / genetics
  • Vibrio cholerae / isolation & purification*
  • Water Microbiology

Associated data

  • GENBANK/MG581187
  • GENBANK/MG581279