Mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos) as a potential link in the epidemiological chain mycoses originating from water reservoirs

Swabs sampled from beaks and cloaca of 123 live Mallard ducks (also referred to as wild ducks) were subjected to routine mycological diagnostics. Out of 246 samples analysed, positive results were noted in 210 (85.4%) cases. The taxonomic analysis revealed 30 species of yeast and yeast-like fungi and 24 species of mould fungi, included 35 classified to BSL categories. The most frequently isolated species were: Candida albicans, C. guilliermondii, C. krusei, Cryptococcus neoformans, Cr. laurentii, Rhodotorula rubra, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Aspergillus fumigatus, A. flavus, A. niger, and Fusarium solani. The results demonstrated that wild duck breeding in the proximate vicinity of man constitutes a rich reservoir of potentially-pathogenic fungi and a significant link in epidemiology of many mycotic diseases.