Abstract
ABSTRACTIntroduction: Wild birds pose a potential threat to animal and human health by spreading infectious diseases. In the present study, we studied the occurrence of bacterial zoonotic pathogens as well as enterobacteria with transferrable antimicrobial resistance genes among Swedish corvids.Materials and methods: Intestines from 66 jackdaws, crows, rooks and magpies from the vicinity of livestock farms at 14 locations in 7 counties were analysed by direct culture or PCR screening followed by culture. Isolates were investigated by whole-genome sequencing.Results and discussion: Campylobacter jejuni were detected in 82% and Yersinia in 3% of the birds. ESBL-producing E. coli were found in one sample (2%) and carried blaCTX-M-55. No Enterobacteriaceae with transferable carbapenem resistance were identified. No Salmonella or E. coli O157:H7 were found, but PCR analysis for enterohaemorrhagic E. coli virulence genes revealed 35% positive samples for intimin, 9% for verotoxin 1 and 17% for verotoxin 2. C. jejuni isolates from corvids were compared to previously published isolates from Swedish sources by multi-locus sequence typing based on genome sequences. All corvid C. jejuni isolates formed a cluster, intermingled with human and chicken isolates. Our results indicate that C. jejuni is ubiquitous among Swedish corvid birds, with sporadic transmission to poultry and humans.
Highlights
Wild birds pose a potential threat to animal and human health by spreading infectious diseases
The aims of the present study were to investigate the occurrence of Campylobacter, Salmonella, Yersinia and the STEC/VTEC serotype O157:H7, as well as carbapenemase and extended spectrum cephalosporinase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE and ESCE), among corvid birds in rural areas in southern Sweden, and to determine the relevance of any findings by genomic comparison to isolates previously recovered from humans or domestic animals
Campylobacter jejuni is clearly ubiquitous among corvids in rural parts of southern Sweden, as the bacteria were found in 82% of samples analysed in the present study
Summary
Wild birds pose a potential threat to animal and human health by spreading infectious diseases. The increasing trend of antibiotic resistant bacteria among foodproducing animals is a growing concern for human and animal health, the occurrence of extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) and transferable ampC (pAmpC) producing Enterobacteriaceae. Environmental transmission and direct contact with animals are known routes of infection, most sporadic cases of the major zoonoses in Sweden cannot currently be traced to a source. Studies performed in recent years have shown a strong regionality in terms of genotype for endemic zoonotic pathogens like STEC/VTEC [4] and Salmonella [5] in Sweden. Several international studies have shown high occurrence ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae in wildlife, primarily in birds including corvids [6,7]. Wild birds pose a particular challenge for farm biosecurity and food safety as they roam over large areas and are difficult to keep out
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