DNR may get test results today on what killed geese
By Mike McWilliams
Iowa City Press-Citizen
Test results could come back today on what's sickened or killed about three dozen Canada geese in the area, Iowa Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist Tim Thompson said.
So far, Thompson said tests seem to rule out aspergillosis, a fungus infection that initially was thought to be the culprit. Now, Thompson said the cause could be aflatoxin, which is another fungus mold that attacks the liver and can cause cancer.
"Aspergillosis has been ruled out because that normally will show nodules in the lungs," Thompson said. "They couldn't find any of those, and aflatoxin doesn't show that symptom."
Both aspergillosis and aflatoxin come from moldy food sources, such as corn, but show different clinical symptoms, Thompson said. Many of the dead geese had an empty stomach, which shows they quit eating a day or two before death, Thompson said.
Thompson said like aspergillosis, aflatoxin does not transfer to humans or to other animals. So far, Thompson said there are about 35 Canada geese in the Iowa City and Coralville area that have been reported sick or dead. About as many cases have been reported in the Cedar Rapids area, he said.
"We probably have about 2,000 geese in the Iowa City area," Thompson said. "It (the dead or sick geese) is actually a pretty small percentage of the total geese."
Samples are being tested at a wildlife lab in Wisconsin.
By Mike McWilliams
Iowa City Press-Citizen
Test results could come back today on what's sickened or killed about three dozen Canada geese in the area, Iowa Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist Tim Thompson said.
So far, Thompson said tests seem to rule out aspergillosis, a fungus infection that initially was thought to be the culprit. Now, Thompson said the cause could be aflatoxin, which is another fungus mold that attacks the liver and can cause cancer.
"Aspergillosis has been ruled out because that normally will show nodules in the lungs," Thompson said. "They couldn't find any of those, and aflatoxin doesn't show that symptom."
Both aspergillosis and aflatoxin come from moldy food sources, such as corn, but show different clinical symptoms, Thompson said. Many of the dead geese had an empty stomach, which shows they quit eating a day or two before death, Thompson said.
Thompson said like aspergillosis, aflatoxin does not transfer to humans or to other animals. So far, Thompson said there are about 35 Canada geese in the Iowa City and Coralville area that have been reported sick or dead. About as many cases have been reported in the Cedar Rapids area, he said.
"We probably have about 2,000 geese in the Iowa City area," Thompson said. "It (the dead or sick geese) is actually a pretty small percentage of the total geese."
Samples are being tested at a wildlife lab in Wisconsin.
