December 1, 2000

Robert L. Walker, Ph.D.
Texas A & M University
Vice President for Development
401 George Bush Drive
College Station, Texas  77840-3310

International Parrotlet Society
Post Office Box 2428
Santa Cruz, California  95063-2428

Dear International Parotlet Society:

Please accept my thanks on behalf of Texas A & M University faculty, staff and students for your recent gift. Every gift received is greatly appreciated and represents the generosity of our donors to assist this University in sending quality young people into our community and this ever changing world.

We attempt to foster an intellectually challenging yet supportive environment for students here at Texas A & M University and it is the generous support of organizations such as IPS that allow us to achieve that goal.

Sincerely yours,

Robert L. Walker, Ph.D.

The International Parrotlet Society recently engaged in a project to raise funds for research on the organism, megabacteria at Texas A & M University. We are very proud to have contributed more than $3,100 to this vitally important research. Many parrotlet owners have faced the frustration and uncertainty of dealing with this organism and it has sparked fevered debate among breeders and veterinarians alike. The International Parrotlet Society has been at the forefront of the study of megabacteria and has presented all sides of this hotly debated topic.

The plain and simple truth is that no one has the answers when it comes to megabacteria. It is an elusive organism that so far seems to have defied conventional identification. However, one thing everyone should agree on, is the need for more research. Without research, inaccurate information, general mistrust and very great harm can be the future of parrotlets and megabacteria unless we all work together to understand and deal with this organism.

Dr. David Phalen at Texas A & M University has been working with megabacteria for some time now and has made some startling discoveries. The International Parrotlet Society is proud to announce that it recently raised more than $3,150 for megabacteria funding at the University.

Dr. Phalen informs us that areas of research are to be done on several levels:

1. Determine which organism we are really dealing with. Currently, they have a cockatiel that is shedding an organism that looks all the world to be the same one that they find in budgies. It, however, is not. So, it may mean that we have different organisms in budgies, parrotlets, doves, ratites, chickens, finches, lovebirds, cockateils, parrots and on and on.

2. Dr. Phalen's team has been able to grow this organism outside of the host. This means that they are in a better position to determine what type of drugs will be effective against it. Doing this type of sensitivity testing is another area Dr. Phalen hopes to move into in the near future. Amphotericin-B has always been the drug of choice in the past, but it is a controversial drug regarding its safety. It is also no longer made by the manufacturer and has to be prepared by a compounding pharmacy by prescription. There are other drugs that have shown promise and are more effective, less costly and safer.

3. The final and perhaps the most difficult aspect is to determine if this (these) organisms are truly causing disease and when one should treat birds with this organism, especially if they appear healthy otherwise.

For those of you who would like to support this vital research, please send your contribution to:

Join the World's Oldest & Largest Parrotlet Organization -
International National Parrotlet Society

For questions contact: IPS@InternationalParrotletSociety.org