Author:

Ziccardi M, Massey G

Date: 1 January 2000

Abstract:

Although Aspergillus sp. are ubiquitous fungal organisms in the environment, they (and, in particular, A. fumigatus) often has devastating consequences to debilitated avian species. One bird subgroup especially susceptible to infection and subsequent high mortality levels are rehabilitated seabirds – specifically, those recovering from and treated during oil spills.Identified risk factors for developing this disease that are often present in oil spill rehabilitation include “stress” (from capture, housing, and handling), a damp environment with little ventilation, damage to upper airway mucosal epithelium from caustic petroleum products, and concentrated environmental exposures from food, bedding, and conspecifics. Lesionsare predominantly restricted to the lungs and air sacs, resulting in a range of clinical signs including dyspnea, voice change, anorexia and/or acute death.A large number of available diagnostic tests exist to help aid in diagnosis of this disease in other avian and mammalian species. Available “tests” include physical examination (auscultation), blood analyses (complete blood countsand/or serum chemistry), radiology, PCR, and antigen/antibody ELISAs. The latter two classes of tests show promise in diagnosis of this disease in other species, however, there has not yet been a concerted effort towards validating these tests in seabirds at risk during oil spills. Also, in rehabilitation situations, the cost, ease, and value of testing are all importantconsiderations in selecting appropriate diagnostic tests – considerations not necessarily taken into account for other animal species.It is critical to find a method to detect this disease early in oiled seabird rehabilitation due to the poor prognosis of moderately/severely infected individuals, the potential zoonotic transmission of this disease to oil spill workers, and the difficulty in detecting sub-clinical infections in affected animals. Therefore, this study will strive to test and validate most available diagnostic tools again current antemortem “gold standards” of tracheal wash/culture and necropsy on susceptible seabirds that die or are humanely euthanized during course rehabilitation at the San Francisco Bay Oiled Wildlife Care and Education Center between October 2005 and June 2006. The results of this study will help determine which (if any) available test or tests are the most appropriate to run during an oil spill response, and help to further the OWCN’s mandate of providing the “best achievable care” to oil-affected wildlife.

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