The risk of HABs to waterfowl hunters and their dogs?

[mike rossi]

Cyanobacteria, aka: blue green algae, blue green bacteria. HAB = harmful algae bloom... Interesting stuff. Not an algae, not a vascular plant, but an bacteria that feeds itself like a plant... It produced the almighty crude oil, the atmosphere, and had a role in what life forms became extinct and which survived. It is being studied for weoponization, biofuel, and a source of electricity! It produces a deadly poison, but also has use in medicine in stopping viruses and cancer. Not a plant or a true algae, but a bacteria which like plants produces oxygen during the day, but at night produces carbon dioxide thus when it is over populated will deplete oxygen from water bodies and cause fish kills…

Does it kill dogs? Yes. Does it kill people? Yes. Does it kill waterfowl? Yes. Can it be harmful to eat waterfowl that ingested a sub-lethal dose? Maybe...

Per the DEC website: "The toxin accumulates in the tissues of any animals that eat the dinoflagellate and may be present in high concentrations in shellfish. Eating shellfish that may have consumed Alexandrium may pose a health threat for animals and humans".

Studies which back up the DEC:

Henriksen P, Carmichael WW, An J, Moestrup O (1997) Detection of an anatoxin–

a(s)–like anticholinesterase in natural blooms and cultures of cyanobacteria/

blue–green algae from Danish lakes and in the stomach contents of poisoned

birds. Toxicon 35(6):901–913

Saker ML, Eaglesham GK (1999) The accumulation of cylindrospermopsin from

the cyanobacterium Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii in tissues of the Redclaw

crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus. Toxicon 37(7):1065-1077

Saker ML, Metcalf JS, Codd GA, Vasconcelos VM (2004) Accumulation and depuration

of the cyanobacterial toxin cylindrospermopsin in the freshwater

mussel Anodonta cygnea. Toxicon 43(2):185-194

Sipiä VO, Kankaapää HT, Pflugmacher S, Flinkman J, Furey A, James KJ (2002)

Bioaccumulation and detoxication of nodularin in tissues of flounder (Platichthys

flesus), mussels (Mytilus edulis, Dreissena polymorpha), and clams

(Macoma balthica

The WHO (World Health Organization) doesn’t mention direct poisoning from consuming animals or bioaccumulation in animals we eat: "People are mainly exposed to cyanobacterial toxins by drinking or bathing in contaminated water. Other sources include algal food tablets. Some species form a scum on the water, but high concentrations may also be present throughout the affected water. Surface scums, where they occur, represent a specific hazard to human health because of their particularly high toxin contact. Contact, especially by children, should be avoided".

[shawnhu]

Good stuff.