Staphylococcus is a bacterial genus that contains species affecting a diversity of mammals. They pose a significant health problem and have, in many cases, become resistant to antibiotics. Recent studies of polar bears in the arctic show that animals with minimal human contact carry bacteria that are susceptible to most antibiotics. Based on available information we believe that antibiotic resistance profiles will provide information about the potential impact of humans on wildlife. Black bears will serve as a convenient species to measure the impact of humans on Great Smoky Mountains National Park fauna. In addition, newly developed molecular techniques will be applied to characterize staphylococcal isolates and identify new species.
Project Information: ProjectInfo.pdf
Species by Month: CountsPerSpeciesByMonth.pdf
Species Report: Taxonomy.pdf
Upper Taxa List: UpperTaxa.pdf
Principal Investigator
PI Name: Dr. Stephen A. Kania
PI Organization: University of Tennessee Veternary School, Knoxville
Primary Taxonomist
Taxonomist Name: Dr. Stephen A. Kania
Taxonomist Organization: University of Tennessee Veternary School, Knoxville
