FUNGAL CONTAMINATION IN COMMERCIAL RATIONS INTENDED FOR ORNAMENTAL BIRDS

The increasing popularity of domestic ornamental birds, such as Agapornis spp., Lonchura spp. (society finch), Melopsittacus undulatus (budgerigar), Nymphicus hollandicus (cockatiel), Serinus canarius, among others as pets, demonstrate the need for special diets with rations formulated and marketed by different brands, aiming to achieve the nutritional quality standard expected by the owners of those animals. However, the possible fungal contamination of these rations or the raw materials used for its production is often forgotten, as well as the possible consequences that this contamination. Fungal toxins produced by fungi of the genus Aspergillus spp, one of them known as aflatoxin, are the cause of mycotoxicosis. The clinical signs of this poisoning vary according to the mycotoxins present, the species of the affected bird, age and nutritional status. Besides the mycotoxicosis, there is also the risk of aspergillosis caused by species of the genera Aspergillus spp, and mucormycosis, this infection caused by Mucor spp and Rhizopus spp. The focus of this study was to identify fungi present in feeds from commercial houses and rations stored by tutors from different species of birds. Twenty samples of feed were obtained in the period of 30 days, through bird owners and commercial houses of Bandeirantes, Paraná and region. All samples were within the period of validity provided by the manufacturer of various trademarks. Food compositions ranged from corn – grounded or powdered, niger, sunflower, millet, birdseed, soybean meal, rice bran, oatmeal, safflower, red sorghum, dehydrated beet and carrot, buckwheat and wheat bran. Samples of seeds were sown in groups of five to ten grains, and crushed samples were placed three times with sterile, anatomical tweezers in Sabouraud culture mediums, staying in room temperature between three to five days. Later, the fungus grown in the mediums were examined on microscope slides stained with methylene blue and then identified in an optical microscope. The final identification was based on macroscopic and morphologic characteristics of contour of the colonies from the dishes, both verse and reverse, and formation of pigments, along with the microscopic morphology. Fungi from the genus Aspergillus spp were present in all inspected samples, of various commercial brands offered to ornamental birds. Other genus of fungi as Mucor spp, Penicillium spp and Rhizopus spp were positive in the samples as well, and their presence may vary depending on the ingredients analyzed.