Presence of Histoplasma capsulatum in faeces of homing pigeons and rock pigeons in Lima, Peru

• Autores: Arias Guerrero, Yurie, Morales Cauti, Siever, Villacaqui Ayllon, Eglinton
• Formato: artículo
• Fecha de Publicación: 2017
• Institución: Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos
• Repositorio: Revista UNMSM - Revista de Investigaciones Veterinarias del Perú
• Lenguaje: español
• OAI Identifier: oai:ojs.csi.unmsm:article/13348
• Enlace del recurso: https://revistasinvestigacion.unmsm.edu.pe/index.php/veterinaria/article/view/13348
• Nivel de acceso: acceso abierto
• Materia: Histoplasma capsulatum; domestic pigeons; public health; palomas domésticas; salud pública

The fungus Histoplasma capsulatum is the causative agent of histoplasmosis, disease of public health importance. The aim of this study was to determine its presence in faeces of domestic pigeons (Columba livia) in the city of Lima, Peru. Faecal samples (n=245) were collected, processed and cultivated in Sabouraud agar at 37 and 28 °C for 2 to 4 weeks approximately. The colonies were identified by macroscopic and microscopic characteristics. Only 0.41% (1/245) of samples were positive to H. capsulatum, while the beta-pert (@Risk) stochastic simulation showed a minimum prevalence of 0.369% and a maximum prevalence of 0.451%.