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Lactobacillus agilis is an important component of the pigeon crop flora
Author(s) -
Baele M.,
Devriese L.A.,
Haesebrouck F.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 1364-5072
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2672.2001.01407.x
Subject(s) - biology , crop , lactobacillus salivarius , lactobacillus fermentum , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , lactobacillus , enterococcus faecalis , flora (microbiology) , isolation (microbiology) , lactic acid , lactobacillus plantarum , ecology , genetics , staphylococcus aureus
Aims: To examine the presence of lactic acid bacteria (LAB: enterococci, streptococci and lactobacilli) in the pigeon crop. Methods and Results: The crops of 10 pigeons were sampled and inoculated on agar plates for isolation of streptococci, enterococci and lactobacilli. The isolates were identified using tDNA‐PCR. Lactobacillus agilis , a species described in 1981 from municipal sewage, was the dominant component in eight of these pigeon crop sacs. A Lactobacillus species related to L. fermentum and L. mucosae but probably not belonging to one of these species was isolated from five birds. Three pigeons carried Enterococcus cecorum . Minor species found were E. columbae , E. faecalis , E. hirae , L. johnsonii , L. salivarius , and Streptococcus gallolyticus. A description is given of the phenotypic characteristics of the L. agilis pigeon strains. Conclusions, Significance and Impact of the Study: L. agilis is found to be the main component of the LAB flora in the pigeon crop.