The Impact of Living Near Industrial Areas on Bird Microbial Health

Birds are resilient and adaptable animals that play a critical role in our ecosystem, contributing to pollination, seed dispersal, and insect control. However, these feathered marvels are not immune to the effects of pollution, which can significantly impact their microbiome, or the diverse communities of organisms comprised all over their body. These alterations to the bird microbiome- be it their oral, skin, or cloacal microbiome- can significantly impact their overall health. Since many house sparrows are forced to live in polluted or industrial environments compared to wildlife due to the ever-growing industrialized farming, it is vital to highlight the impact these environments can have on their microbiome.

The Impact of Living Near Industrial Areas on Bird Microbial Health

Impacts of the Industrialized Environment on Avian Microbiome

The avian microbiome, which can be measured by looking both at the individual concentrations of bacterial and fungal species as well as the overall richness and evenness (or diversity), can vary widely due to factors such as diet, habitat, and environmental conditions. Birds living in industrialized areas may be impacted by:

Pollution from the air, water, or soil: Living in an industrial setting means birds are not spared from the effects of pollution from industrialization (i.e., chemical runoff or emission). When birds living in these areas inhale, drink, or come into contact with pollutants such as this in the surrounding air, soil, or plants, it can lead to changes in various aspects of the microbiome and affect their overall health. For instance, pollutants in soil stemming from poor agricultural practices and waste disposal can increase the bacterial or fungal pathogens that birds may be exposed to that they otherwise wouldn’t living in a more natural wildlife setting. In fact, birds that live in industrialized areas show an increased prevalence of pathogenic microbes in their oral cavities, intestinal tract, and skin.

Microbial contamination from processed feed and other animals: Birds that live near industrialized environments can suffer from microbial contamination that can alter their microbiome. First instance, if birds live near a dairy farm, they are more likely to be exposed to cows, their feces, and their feed which has been infiltrated with antibiotics. As a result, birds may be more susceptible to the fecal microbiome of cows and, by being inadvertently exposed to antibiotics, may develop antibiotic resistance. (check out our previous post on AMRs!)

Competition for resources: Birds may compete with farm animals for food and water, which can alter the microbial balance in the environment. Increased competition can lead to changes in the availability of nutrients and other resources, affecting the microbiome of the farm and surrounding environment.

Spread of pathogens: Birds can act as vectors for the spread of pathogens between different areas of the farm or between farms. This can introduce new pathogens to the farm environment, leading to changes in the microbiome and potentially affect the health of the farm animals.

How do these factors shift the bird microbiome?

Birds living in more industrialized areas tend to negatively impact the microbiome of gut,1-3 cloacal area,4 and uropygial gland,5 compared to birds living in wildlife. These differences can have significant implications for bird health and ecosystem functioning. Specifically, the changes that are seen in the microbiome of birds living in these poor conditions include:

Pollution can lend to certain microbial species that are tolerant to pollutants- typically pathogens- to thrive while others- typically commensals- to die off. This leads to negatively altered bacterial or fungal composition compared to those in wildlife habitats. Additionally, pollution can introduce new microbial species to bird microbiomes, potentially increasing the abundance of pathogenic or harmful microorganisms.

As a result of this microbial shift, birds living in polluted environments may have lower microbial diversity, or the overall bacteria/fungal richness and evenness, which has been attributed to impaired microbial health.

Health Implications: Since birds in polluted environments may have reduced microbial diversity, their ability to perform essential functions such as digestion and immune system regulation may also be impaired. This can lead to health problems in birds, including decreased nutrient absorption and increased susceptibility to disease, reproductive impairments, and infection.

What can we do to help these birds?

The microbiome of birds is a crucial component of their health and well-being. Living in an industrial environment can have detrimental effects on bird microbiomes, leading to changes in microbial composition and diversity. Birds living in these polluted environments often exhibit differences in microbiome compared to those in wildlife habitats, with potential health implications.

Understanding these effects is essential for mitigating the impacts of pollution on bird populations and ecosystems.
The best tool we have when trying to help birds that live in these poor environments is knowledge. By testing the bacteria and fungi of their microbiome of birds living in these conditions, we can identify the pathogens and microbial shifts that may be negatively impacting birds’ health. Fortunately, the MiDOG All-In-One Testing kit can measure bacteria and fungi down to the species level to provide a comprehensive picture of what these birds’ microbiomes look like!

The more we learn about the precise microbial shifts that occur in these populations- including which pathogens become more prevalent or which area of the body the microbiome is most effected by industrialized environments, the better we can help to treat birds that may be suffering from pathogenic infection from these living conditions, or considerations that can be made to change the environment to promote a more advantageous microbiome.

REFERENCES:
1. Kohl KD, Brun A, Bordenstein SR, CAVIEDES‐VIDAL E, Karasov WH. Gut microbes limit growth in house sparrow nestlings (Passer domesticus) but not through limitations in digestive capacity. Integrative zoology. 2018;13(2):139-151.
2. Mirón L, Mira A, Rocha-Ramírez V, et al. Gut bacterial diversity of the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) inferred by 16S rRNA sequence analysis. Metagenomics. 2014;3:1-11.
3. Bodawatta KH, Freiberga I, Puzejova K, Sam K, Poulsen M, Jønsson KA. Flexibility and resilience of great tit (Parus major) gut microbiomes to changing diets. Animal Microbiome. 2021;3(1).
4. Stewart R, Rambo TB. Cloacal microbes in house sparrows. The Condor. 2000;102(3):679-684.
5. Grieves LA, Bottini CLJ, Gloor GB, Macdougall-Shackleton EA. Uropygial gland microbiota differ between free-living and captive songbirds. Scientific Reports. 2022;12(1).
6. Sun F, Chen J, Liu K, Tang M, Yang Y. The avian gut microbiota: Diversity, influencing factors, and future directions. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2022;13:934272.


Categories: Birds/Parrots, Exotic Pets, Gut Microbiome, Oral/Mouth Infections, Pet Health, Safety and Wellness, Skin Health

animal diagnostics

Validated by Veterinarians

“Clients expect their veterinarians to stay up to date on all matters that affect the health and well being of their non-human family members. The current technique that we have used to determine the presence and antibiotic sensitivity of organisms causing disease in our pets is over a century old.

With the emergence of dangerous antibacterial resistance, it is critical that veterinarians are able to offer laser focused diagnostics and treatment. MiDog enables us to offer care that exceeds the typical standard of care.”

Bernadine Cruz, DVM, Laguna Hills Animal Hospital Laguna Woods, CA

“I love the absolute abundance and comparing the fungal with bacterial infection. I do not worry as much about getting a false negative urinary infection reading as I do with traditional urine cultures. Several times the same urine would culture negative but MiDOG would detect pathogens.”

Michael Morgan, DVMQuail Animal Hospital, Tustin, CA

“The MiDOG All-in-One Test is amazing, I would use it instead of culture and sensitivity.  Such rapid and detailed results, I will reach for MiDOG before culture next time!

Thank you very much MiDOG, for sharing the opportunity to try your technology.”

Martha Smith-Blackmore, DVM, President of Forensic Veterinary Investigations, LLC – Boston, MA

The MiDOG All-in-One Microbial Test is our new gold standard of pathogen identification. The results are so accurate and valuable – especially with assessing both bacterial and fungal infections with the same sample.

Thank you MiDOG!”

Kathy Wentworth, DVM, Diplomate ABVP Canine and Feline Practice – PetPoint Medical Center, Irvine, CA

“The MiDOG staff was extremely helpful and supportive.”

Cathy Curtis, DVM – London, UK

“I have had great results using the MiDOG® Test. Compared to traditional culture tests, I am better able to target the treatment for dogs because the MiDOG® Test is so sensitive that it identifies all pathogens including bacteria and fungi, as well as antibiotic sensitivity.

The cost and turnaround time are about the same as a culture test, but I get much more data. The test has great performance and I believe the NGS technology will be a game changer for veterinarians treating dogs with lesions or other infections.”

Michael Kavanagh, DVM, Practice owner – Saddleback Animal Hospital, Tustin, CA

“It’s helpful to have an NGS spectrum because it gives you a broader insight of what’s happening and what might be going on.”

Richard Harvey BVSc DVD DipECVD PhD FRSB FRCVS – European Specialist in Veterinary Dermatology – Head of Dermatology, Willows Veterinary Centre & Referral Service – Solihull, England UK

“I have been using MiDog for over 4 years now and exclusively as my test of choice for all cultures for 3 years.  It is so great to submit a culture and feel confident there will be a result when it comes back, especially for urine cultures.  The reports were intimidating at first because they contain so much information.  After the first few, I am now quickly able to glance over it and pick out the highlights.  I can then come back later and pour over all the details.  I have been extremely pleased with my patients’ results using the test as well.  I don’t envision ever going back to traditional culture and susceptibilities again.”

Brian M. Urmson, DVM, Columbiana Veterinary Associates

“As an exotic veterinarian, there are numerous tests we have to consider to check specific bacterial and fungal organisms based on the species. MiDOG eliminates the need for many of these separate samples and provides definitive results quickly to help us treat our patients more efficiently and effectively. The lab is wonderful to work with and has never rejected our samples- they even processed a lizard toe we amputated and determined the cause of skin infection.”

Dr. Melissa Giese, Chicago Exotics Animal Hospital

“MiDOG’s diagnostic approach offers the unique ability to identify pathogens that evade traditional culture and sensitivity testing. I have found that adding a molecular based testing approach in the form of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) from MiDOG to my routine diagnostic cultures can be extremely helpful in the identification and diagnosis of uncommon pathogens in veterinary medicine.”

Dr. Wayne Rosenkrantz, Animal Dermatology Clinic – Tustin

“She [Dr. Krumbeck] really did a great job of making complicated concepts accessible and demonstrating the value of your services. I’m really looking forward to working with MiDOG on my research project!”

Dr. Yaicha Peters, Animal Dermatology Clinic – San Diego

“As a proud collaborator with MiDOG, I deeply appreciate their dedication to fostering partnerships between industry and veterinary experts. Their commitment to enhancing diagnostic quality for veterinarians is commendable. In my experience, their support has been invaluable, earning them a ‘Double A+, Triple Star’ rating. Their assistance has been faultless, contributing significantly to the success of my projects and studies. I eagerly anticipate our continued collaboration.”

Dr. Richard Harvey, BVSc DVD DipECVD PhD FRSB FRCVS; European Specialist in Veterinary Dermatology

“We’re seeing that, if we prescribe too many antibiotics or they’re taken too frequently, animals are developing inappropriate or pathogenic strains of bacteria. We’re also seeing that our antibiotics are just not working against them anymore… It’s a good example of why we need better diagnostic testing, like MiDOG, so that we’re selecting the correct antibiotic every time our patients have an infection.”

Dr. Alissa Rexo, DVM, CVA, DACVD, Mid-Atlantic Veterinary Dermatology

“The NGS technique as offered by MiDOG is wonderful because pathogens like Melissococcus plutonius, for example, are difficult to grow and keep alive in the laboratory. A standard laboratory cannot truly examine or even properly diagnose this pathogen in bee hives at this time. But with NGS, we can reliably diagnose it.”

Dr. Joerg Mayer, Entomologist and Microbiologist at the University of Georgia

“For me, as a clinician and as a researcher, I see the immense value in the product [the All-in-One Test]. I have had great success using MiDOG clinically, including identifying Mycoplasma in a 24 year old pigeon, a Nannizziopsis spp in a ball python from a large pet distributor, Mycoplasma and Fusobacterium necrophorum co-infection in a peacock, and to identify an abnormal gut GI in a technician’s dog that tested negative for everything else (but we were able to establish what was abnormal, and work toward fixing it).”

Dr. Jeremy Rayl – Veterinarian, Block House Creek Animal Hospital, Cedar Park, Texas

“With MiDog results I not only receive a list of organisms detected in the sample, but also cell counts which allow me to target the most abundant pathogens or the most pathogenic. The identification of antimicrobial resistance genes is also helpful in selecting an appropriate antibiotic. Another benefit is that sample handling is less prone to risk of overgrowth and is stable at room temperature. Easy and informative. A great tool in our diagnostic toolbox!!”

Lauren Palmer DVM, MPH, Marine mammal Care Center Los Angeles