Anaerobic oral flora in the North American Black bear (Ursus americanus) in eastern North Carolina

Microbial flora can provide insight into the ecology and natural history of wildlife in addition to improving understanding of health risks. This study examines the anaerobic oral flora of hunter killed black bears (Ursus americanus) in eastern North Carolina. Oral swabs from the buccal and lingual supragingival tooth surfaces of the first and second mandibular and maxillary molars of 22 black bears were inoculated onto Brucella Blood Agar plates supplemented with hemin and vitamin K after transport from the field using reduced oxoid nutrient broth. Sixteen anaerobic bacterial species, representing nine genera were identified using the RapID ANA II Micromethod Kit system and a number of organisms grown that could not be identified with the system. The most frequently identified anaerobes were Peptostreptococcus prevotii, Streptococcus constellatus, and Porphyromonas gingivalis. The diversity in the anaerobic oral flora of black bear in eastern North Carolina suggests the importance of including these organisms in basic health risk assessment protocols and suggests a potential tool for assessment of bear/habitat interactions.

► We examined the anaerobic oral flora of the black bear (Ursus americanus).
► We collected oral swabs from twenty two hunter killed black bears.
► Swabs were inoculated onto Brucella Blood Agar plates with hemin and vitamin K.
► Sixteen different anaerobic species from nine genera were identified.
► Black bears have diverse oral anaerobic flora.