Das S, Das S; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 2002 Jul 7-12; 14: abstract no. ThPeB7386.
Das Research Centre, Kolkata, India
BACKGROUND: Vultures are most important scavenging birds. Although it is well known that due to scavenging action vultures prevents spread of anthrax, but according to some; they may spread anthrax through their droppings. Thus this experiment was done to find out whether vulture and other birds' droppings contain anthrax and other pathogenic bacteria or not. METHODS: This study was done on vulture droppings around different roosts, and observations were made on four patients living close proximity of a vulture roost. Droppings were present on dead leaves as well as on herbs, which were present, surrounding their roosts. We have studied pH and bacteria of the droppings. RESULTS: Droppings were mildly acidic; pH ranges between 6.0 to 6.8. Aerobic bacteriological cultures were made on nutrient agar medium with swabs taken from droppings. There was no colony of anthrax bacilli and they mainly consist of colibacilli, Bacillus sp. Other than anthrax bacilli, few micrococci and corynebacteria. The most interesting finding was that there were plenty bacteriophages in the cultures creating plaque like gaps here and there in the colonies. Thus it may happen that these bacteriophages may kill pathogenic bacteria which may enter in the intestine of the vultures during feeding and thus they really act as a natural incinerator. On observation of the patients living close to a roost it was found that there was no difference in occurrence of secondary infections when compared to the usual findings of infections in AIDS patients in this locality. CONCLUSION: It is unlikely that vultures and other scavenging birds can spread infections in AIDS patients through their droppings.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Animals
- Anthrax
- Bacillus anthracis
- Bacteria
- Birds
- Humans
- Infection
- methods
Other ID:
UI: 102253698
From Meeting Abstracts