First Detection of Bacillus anthracis in Feces of Free-ranging Raptors from Central Argentina

Miguel D. Saggese; Ramón P. Noseda; Marcela M. Uhart; Sharon L. Deem; Hebe Ferreyra; Marcelo C. Romano; María C. Ferreyra-Armas; Martin Hugh-Jones

doi:10.7589/0090-3558-43.1.136

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1 January 2007 First Detection of Bacillus anthracis in Feces of Free-ranging Raptors from Central Argentina

Miguel D. Saggese, Ramón P. Noseda, Marcela M. Uhart, Sharon L. Deem, Hebe Ferreyra, Marcelo C. Romano, María C. Ferreyra-Armas, Martin Hugh-Jones

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J. of Wildlife Diseases, 43(1):136-141 (2007). https://doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-43.1.136

Abstract

Prevalence of anthrax spores in feces of raptors was determined from samples collected in November–December 2000 and April–May 2001 in an agricultural region of Santa Fe ′ province, Argentina. Feces were tested from 48 birds of six raptor species. One of 14 chimango caracaras (Milvago chimango) and one of eight road-side hawks (Buteo magnirostris) tested positive. The prevalence of Bacillus anthracis spores in feces for the six species was 4% (n=48). The prevalence was 7% (n=14) for chimango caracaras, 13% for road-side hawks (n=8), and 0% for the remaining species (Burrowing owl [Speotyto cunicularia] [n=17], Swainson's hawk [Buteo swainsoni] [n=3], Aplomado falcon [Falco femoralis] [n=2], and American kestrel [Falco sparverius] [n=4]). Grouped by their feeding habits, prevalence for scavenger species was not significantly different than for predators (7% vs. 3%, P>0.999). This study provides evidence that in central Argentina scavenger and non-scavenger raptors may have a role in the epidemiology of anthrax. Long-term studies to determine the extent of this potential involvement in the epidemiology of anthrax in central Argentina are required.

Saggese, Noseda, Uhart, Deem, Ferreyra, Romano, Ferreyra-Armas, and Hugh-Jones: First Detection of Bacillus anthracis in Feces of Free-ranging Raptors from Central Argentina

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Miguel D. Saggese, Ramón P. Noseda, Marcela M. Uhart, Sharon L. Deem, Hebe Ferreyra, Marcelo C. Romano, María C. Ferreyra-Armas, and Martin Hugh-Jones "First Detection of Bacillus anthracis in Feces of Free-ranging Raptors from Central Argentina," Journal of Wildlife Diseases 43(1), 136-141, (1 January 2007). https://doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-43.1.136

Received: 22 October 2004; Published: 1 January 2007

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