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Aspergillus spp. seropositivity in New Zealand penguins

  • Human And Animal Mycology
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Abstract

One hundred-fifty Yellow-eyed penguins (Megadyptes antipodes) of 8 populations, 20 Little blue penguins (Eudyptula minor) of 2 populations, 9 Rockhopper penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome), and 5 Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) from New Zealand (NZ) and Antarctica (latitude range; 39° 30′ S – 77° 13′ S) were tested by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for fungalAspergillus spp. IgG. One hundred-ten of 184 (60%) penguins were seropositive, and seroprevalence was related to the latitudinal location of a population. AllE. chrysocome from Campbell Island and AntarcticaP. adeliae were seronegative. The seroprevalence varied significantly (p<0.01) from 14% to 80% amongM. antipodes populations, with a mean of 60%. Seroprevalence was 100% forE. minor populations. The mean absorbances varied significantly (p<0.01) from 0.32 to 0.70 forM. antipodes populations, and were 0.44 and 0.51 forE. minor. Seventeen penguins (11E. minor, 6M. antipodes) of 110 (15%) seropositive birds had absorbance within the 95.0% absorbance confidence interval of fatal aspergillosis of captive Jackass penguins (Spheniscus demersus).

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Abbreviations

Ab:

antibodies

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Hygiene and Public Health, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins University, 615 North Wolfe Street, 21205, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

    Thaddeus K. Graczyk

  2. Faculty of Veterinary Science, Department of Physiology and Anatomy, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

    John F. Cockrem

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  1. Thaddeus K. Graczyk
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  2. John F. Cockrem
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Graczyk, T.K., Cockrem, J.F. Aspergillus spp. seropositivity in New Zealand penguins. Mycopathologia 131, 179–184 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01102898

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