Bacteria present in scarlet IBIS (Eudocimus ruber) chicks, Babitonga Bay, Santa Catarina State, Brazil

Abstract

Wild birds are important for public health because of their potential to transmit pathogenic microorganisms to humans. The waterbird scarlet ibis (Eudocimus ruber) forages and breeds near urban areas and if they settle near polluted waters, the viability of adults and their young can be negatively affected. Hence, the aim of this study was to evaluate the cloacal aerobic bacteria profile of nestling scarlet ibis in a mixed colony in Jarivatuba Island, in Joinville, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Cloacal swab samples were collected from clinically normal scarlet ibis nestlings during the breeding season of 2015/2016 (n=16) and 2016/2017 (n=34), and plated onto blood, MacConkey, and Salmonella-Shigella agar plates. Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Proteus spp., Klebsiella sp., Enterococcus spp. and Staphylococcus spp. were isolated and may be representative of the normal microbiota of E. ruber, although the normal profile is unknown for the species. However, the location of this colony in an area without adequate sewage treatment, which receives domestic effluents, may indicate a modified bacterial profile. Further studies are needed, to better understand the host's natural microbiome, as well as on the bacterial isolates, in order to characterize any association with the contaminated water. These results lay the foundation for successful species conservation projects in the area by providing insights that will help improve the viability of nestlings in each reproductive season.