Transcript seaotterpathogentalk..

MONITORING THREATENED SOUTHERN
SEA OTTERS FOR EXPOSURE TO SELECTED
FECAL PATHOGENS
Melissa A. Miller, Nancy Christian,
Pathogens may
enter the ocean
through surface
runoff or sewage
discharges, and
serve as a source of
infection for the
threatened southern
sea otter
STUDY DESIGN
Fresh sea otter feces:
-fresh dead otters
-live-captured otters
-known otter haul-out sites
Bacteria
Culture w/ confirmation
Protozoans
Fecal float &
DFAT
Bank isolates for subsequent molecular
studies
POTENTIAL FECAL PATHOGENS
Protozoa
Bacteria
Cryptosporidium
Giardia
Salmonella sp.
Enterotoxigenic E. coli
(0157:H7)
Campylobacter jejuni
Vibrio cholera, etc.
Pleisomonas shigelloides
Clostridium perfringens
SAMPLE SIZE:
(number of fecal samples processed)
Protozoa: 52
Bacteria: 40
RESULTS: PROTOZOA
(n = 52)
Cryptosporidium
3.8%
Giardia
1.9%
(float = 1, FAT = 1)
(float = 1, FAT = 0)
RESULTS: BACTERIA
(n = 40)
Enterotoxigenic E. coli
Vibrio cholera
Salmonella
Campylobacter jejuni-like
Pleisomonas shigelloides
Clostridium perfringens type A
0%
0%
2.5%
2.5%
17.5%
20.0%
SUMMARY
New host records for many isolates
Some bacterial isolates obtained from otters
with evidence of gastrointestinal disease
Locational data still being assessed
Funding is being sought to continue this
research, and to compare isolates with those
isolated from humans and terrestrial animals
Organism detected
Sample size
Cryptosporidium sp.
Giardia sp.
Vibrio parahemolyticus
Vibro alginolyticus
Vibrio sp. (other/unknown)
Clostridium perfringens, Type A
Pleisomonas shigelloides
Aeromonas sp.-like
Shewanella putrefaciens
Campylobacteria jejuni –like
Salmonella sp.
Edwardsiella tarda
Enterococcus faecalis
Providencia rettgeri
Staphylococcus sp.
Esherichia coli 0157:H7
52
52
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
40
Number
of isolates
2
1
11
6
7
8
7
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
%
3.8
1.9
27.5
15.0
17.5
20.0
17.5
3.8
3.8
1.9
1.9
1.9
1.9
1.9
1.9
0