Isolation and molecular characterization of bacteria from Ibisbill (Ibidorhyncha struthersii) in River Sindh of Kashmir Himalaya

Abstract

Documenting the occurrence of bacteria in wild bird species living in close proximity of humans is important, especially when potential pathogenic bacteria could be risks to the health of either birds or humans. The Ibisbill Ibidorhyncha struthersii is a monotypic wader species belonging to family Ibidorhynchidae inhabiting stony rivers of Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau. In the highlands of India the species that shares its habitats with humans, especially at the religious sites at higher elevations, and information on the occurrence of bacteria is therefore relevant. We provide a description of the bacterial faecal microbiota of this species at two elevations, by collecting 45 fresh faecal droppings in sterile collection tubes from April 2018 to September 2018 at two sites, Site I [34°16′7.82″N, 74°53′8.4″E (1757 m above mean sea level)] and Site II [34°17′21.22″N, 75°19′25.68″E (2718 m above mean sea level)] of Kashmir Himalayan river Sindh. The identification by colonial morphology and staining yielded 18 unique bacterial colony isolates. The bacteria were further characterized on the basis of 16S ribosomal RNA gene. This revealed the presence of six species: two Proteobacteria, Pseudomonas fluorescens and P. syringe, common in soil and water, three Firmicutes bacteria common in birds, Bacillus pumilus, B. subtilis, and B. licheniformis (which is found on bird feathers), and one common avian gastrointestinal Enterobacter, Escherichia coli, which can be pathogenic. E. coli was more common at the higher elevation site where human presence was more intense. In summary, in the faecal samples commonly occurring bacteria were detected. Further sampling in other Himalayan Rivers is needed to fully describe the microbiota of this bird species.