Toyotome Takahito, Matsumoto Naoya, Itoh Megumi, Yamada Kazutaka
Department of Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine.
Diagnostic Center for Animal Health and Food Safety, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine.
Med Mycol J. 2022;63(2):49-52. doi: 10.3314/mmj.22.002.
Aspergillosis is a major fungal infection in humans and animals. Penguins (Order Spheniscidae) are particularly susceptible to aspergillosis, and aspergillosis in captive penguins is presently a major problem. We were faced with the challenge of combating aspergillosis in an aquarium. As a solution, we organized a multidisciplinary aspergillosis control team, including a medical and veterinary mycologist. Since Aspergillus, including Aspergillus fumigatus, is abundant in soil, we thought it necessary to minimize contact between captive penguins and soil to prevent aspergillosis. As a countermeasure, we stopped using a route for outdoor penguin marches where the soil was exposed. Additionally, after outdoor penguin marches, the feet of penguins were washed with seawater to avoid bringing soil into the rearing facility for penguins. Furthermore, since A. fumigatus was detected on several spots in the environment of the rearing facility by swab analysis, we cleaned and sanitized the rearing facility with 0.02% sodium hypochlorite and hot water. As a result of the above measures, there has been no incidence of aspergillosis in captive penguins since 2016. These results show that our preventive measures are working well. As shown here, we presented an example of how the multidisciplinary control team, which included a mycologist, successfully implemented preventive measures against aspergillosis. Due to changes in the rearing environment and the impact of global warming on penguins, it is expected that the role of mycologists in aspergillosis control will expand in the future.
曲霉病是人和动物中一种主要的真菌感染。企鹅（企鹅目）尤其易患曲霉病，目前圈养企鹅的曲霉病是一个主要问题。我们面临着在一个水族馆对抗曲霉病的挑战。作为解决方案，我们组建了一个多学科的曲霉病控制团队，其中包括一名医学和兽医真菌学家。由于包括烟曲霉在内的曲霉在土壤中大量存在，我们认为有必要尽量减少圈养企鹅与土壤的接触以预防曲霉病。作为对策，我们停止使用室外企鹅游行路线中土壤暴露的部分。此外，在室外企鹅游行后，用海水清洗企鹅的脚，以避免将土壤带入企鹅饲养设施。此外，由于通过拭子分析在饲养设施环境中的几个地点检测到烟曲霉，我们用0.02%的次氯酸钠和热水对饲养设施进行了清洁和消毒。由于上述措施，自2016年以来圈养企鹅没有发生曲霉病病例。这些结果表明我们的预防措施效果良好。如此处所示，我们展示了一个多学科控制团队（包括一名真菌学家）如何成功实施曲霉病预防措施的例子。由于饲养环境的变化以及全球变暖对企鹅的影响，预计真菌学家在曲霉病控制中的作用未来将会扩大。
