Abstract
ABSTRACT This study reports a co-infection of Escherichia coli and Salmonella in a free-living ruddy ground dove (Columbina talpacoti) received at the Laboratory of Ornithological Studies of the State University of Ceará, Brazil. The bird presented diarrhea, leg paralysis and anorexia, and died shortly after. Necropsy was then performed and samples from lung, kidney, liver and intestine were collected for microbiological and histopathological analyses. Escherichia coli was isolated from cloacal swab, lung and kidney samples. Salmonella ser. Saintpaul was identified in liver and spleen samples. Escherichia coli isolates were tested for the presence of eight diagnostic genes for diarrheagenic pathotypes (STEC, ETEC, EPEC, EIEC, EAEC) with conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR). EAEC was detected in the lung and kidney, and STEC in the intestine. In conclusion, Columbina talpacoti is susceptible to enteroaggregative Escherichia coli and Salmonella ser. Saintpaul infection, which may have public health implications.
Highlights
Wild birds are important for public health since they can host and disseminate microbes, such as zoonotic pathogens representing a risk food producing animals (Sousa et al, 2010)
Known as ruddy ground dove, the Columbina talpacoti is found in all the territory from Mexico to Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina, including Brazil (Sick, 2001)
In the case here reported, salmonella was isolated from organs, none was isolated from the cloacal swab, which demonstrates that the bird was not shedding this bacterium at the moment and was not a carrier
Summary
Wild birds are important for public health since they can host and disseminate microbes, such as zoonotic pathogens representing a risk food producing animals (Sousa et al, 2010). Known as ruddy ground dove, the Columbina talpacoti is found in all the territory from Mexico to Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina, including Brazil (Sick, 2001) This species is one of the first in Brazil to adapt to urban environments and in search for food, this avian species may perform short migrations and enter broiler chicken houses along with other wild bird species (Sousa et al, 2010). Different pathologies are associated with E. coli, such as colisepticemia, which presents sudden clinical signs, such as anorexia, ruffled feathers, polyuria, diarrhea and sudden death (Friend and Frason, 1999) Another worrying disease is salmonellosis, caused by bacteria from the genus Salmonella, which is an important public health concern due to the large number of serotypes pathogenic for humans causing a wide variety of symptoms and diseases, including gastrointestinal infections and septicemia (Vidal et al, 2003).
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