Kākāpō's crusty bums linked to bacteria

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-11-28 03:00

New Zealand

Kimberley Collins, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

An increasingly common inflammatory disease in kākāpō has now been linked to certain bacteria and bacterial proteins. Researchers analysed poo and swab samples from kākāpō with and without 'crusty bum', which causes scabbing on the birds' bottoms and could lead to death if untreated. The samples revealed differences in the gut bacteria of infected birds, including Clostridium bacteria in birds with severe disease, and signs of a protein emitted by stressed bacteria. The study authors say that knowing which bacteria are linked with the disease could help to understand the condition and better target antibiotics.

Expert Reaction

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Dr Annie West, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, and an author of this study, comments:

Exudative cloacitis, also known charmingly as crusty bum, is an inflammatory condition affecting the cloaca (the shared opening for waste and reproduction in birds and reptiles) of our critically endangered kākāpō. Crusty bum poses serious health risks to the species, yet its cause remains a mystery despite years of research.

"Using advanced genetic sequencing methods, we explored whether certain microbes might be linked to the disease. Our study revealed specific bacteria are more active in sick kākāpō, offering important clues that could help the Recovery Team in their efforts to protect and conserve this unique endemic parrot.

Last updated: 25 Nov 2024 3:29pm

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Declared conflicts of interest Annie West is lead author of the study.

Journal/
conference: New Zealand Journal of Zoology

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: University of Auckland, Department of Conservation, University of Otago, Auckland Zoo

Funder: This work was supported by Lloyd Morrison Trust.

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