A Relationship Between Avian Carcasses and Living Invertebrates in the Epizootiology of Avian Botulism
Content Description
Abstract:
A survey of the sources of Clostiridium botulinum type C toxin
possibly utilized as food by aquatic birds in an epizootic area of
avian botulism in northern Utah showed that living aquatic and
terrestial invertebrates normally found in close association with
dead, decomposing birds commonly carried the toxin. Of 461 samples
associated with 21 species of avian carcasses, 198 were
toxin-positive. Invertebrate species not normally scavengers of
vertebrate tissues were less commonly and less highly toxic,
particularly when captured 30 cm or more from a carcass; six of 237
samples of such aquatic invertebrates contained low-level toxin. Of
the species tested, blow fly larvae (Calliphoridae) were the most
comsistently and highly toxic, altough others, particularly adult
and larval stages of several species of beetles (Coleoptera),
contained toxin at levels probably significant in the epizootiology
of the disease. An estimated 0.05 to 0.25 g of the most toxic fly
larvae or 15 g of the most toxic beetlestested carried a mediam
lethal dose for an adult mallard duck. Examination of stomach
contents of aquatic birds dead of botulism showed that some had
consumed invertebrates.
Purpose: Reporting results of research.
Content Status
Progress: Complete
Update Frequency: None planned
Content Keywords
Theme Keywords: Subject Category from NBII Bibliographic Metadata Input Page, Birds,
Testbed Controlled Vocabulary from NBII Bibliographic Metadata
Input Page
, epizootiology, invertebrates, None, avian botulism, clostridum botulinum type c, avian carcasses
Place Keywords: