title: In search of human-associated bacterial pathogens in Antarctic wildlife: report from six penguin colonies regularly visited by tourists.
abstract: We investigated the potential role of Antarctic tourism in the introduction of human-associated pathogens into Antarctic wildlife. We collected and analyzed 233 fecal samples from eight bird species. The samples were collected at six localities on the Antarctic Peninsula, which often is visited by tourists. Every sample was investigated for pathogens of potential human origin: Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella spp., and Yersina spp. None of these bacteria was found. Our data suggest that the tourism industry so far has achieved its goal of not introducing pathogens into the Antarctic region. There is, however, an urgent need to further investigate the situation in areas closer to permanent Antarctic settlements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Sweden. jonasb@ltkalmar.se
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bonnedahl
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Broman
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Waldenström
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Palmgren
authors.forename: Taina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Niskanen
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Olsen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000864:Antarctic Regions; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D012475:Salmonella / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D046429:Spheniscidae / Q000382:microbiology*; D014195:Travel; D015007:Yersinia / Q000302:isolation & purification*