Harris' hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus) as a source of pathogenic human yeasts: a potential risk to human health

Aim: Invasive human fungal infections have been a serious public health problem among immunocompromised patients. Wild bird species are related to the eco-epidemiology of some infectious diseases, mainly Cryptococcosis, Histoplasmosis, Aspergillosis, Chlamydiosis, Salmonellosis and allergic diseases. Falconry is the art of training predators for hunting. Nowadays, birds of prey are used as pets, which brings new sources of infections to humans. Materials & methods: We identified fungal pathogenic yeasts, Candida parapsilosis, Debaryomyces hansenii and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa. Conclusion: Study new environmental niches of human pathogens is vitally important to establish preventive actions with the purpose of minimizing the risks of human contamination. Our work describes yeast microbiota from the excreta of Parabuteo unicinctus as a potential hazard for human disease.

Automated summary

The study explored the relationship between wild bird species and human fungal infections, identifying potential hazardous yeast microbiota in raptor excreta. It highlights the importance of investigating the ecological niches of human pathogens for disease prevention.