Occurrence of Enteropathogenic Bacteria in Birds of Prey in Italy

This study was performed with the aim to evaluate the occurrence of enteropathogenic bacteria (i.e. Campylobacter spp. Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp.) in birds of prey carcasses in Southern Italy. The results of the present study showed a prevalence of 33.1% (49/148) for Campylobacter spp. where all positive isolates (49/49) were identified as C. jejuni, and among these positive 12/49 were also identified as C. coli. Thus, 12/49 birds of prey showed mixed infections for both Campylobacter species. Differences in Campylobacter spp. prevalence between diurnal and nocturnal birds were statistically significant (P=0.016). E. coli showed a prevalence of 6.8% (10/148) and were serogrouped as O26 (n=3), O55 (n=2), O145 (n=5). Salmonella spp. showed a prevalence of 6.8% (10/148) and were serotyped as S. Napoli (n=4), S. salamae (n=3), S. Typhimurium (n=3). Although wildlife disease outbreaks have often been underreported in the broader context of global epidemiology, results of the present study suggest that birds of prey may serve as a reservoir of pathogens for livestock and human health, acting at the animal‐human‐ecosystem interface. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Source: Letters in Applied Microbiology - Category: Microbiology Authors: Tags: Original Article Source Type: research