摘要：Avian vacuolar myelinopathy (AVM) is a disease that has been reported to cause significant mortalities of birds such as bald eagles and waterfowl in the southeastern United States sinse 1994. The most likely etiological agent of AVM is a neurotoxin that originates from an unnamed toxic cyanobacterium in the Order Stigonematales. This cyanobacterium is epiphytic on submersed macrophytes. most notably hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata). Although AVM has been documented in five other southern states, its presence in Florida has not been indicated from bird mortality events. However, the presence of the cyanobacterium had yet to be investigated despite abundant hydrilla coverage in lakes and streams. After monitoring 47 lakes and two rivers throughout Florida from November 2006 to March 2008. we positively identified the suspect cyanobacterium. both morphologically and genetically, from one lake in southcentral Florida—Lake Huntley.
