Pet rabbits (n = 125) from Southern Italy were submitted to a serological screening for Encephalitozoon cuniculi, using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a carbon immunoassay (CIA). Seventy-eight examined rabbits showed clinical signs suggestive of encephalitozoonosis (head tilt, ataxia, paralysis, cataracts, uveitis, polyuria and polydipsia), whereas 47 were healthy rabbits. Antibodies anti-E. cuniculi were found in 84/125 (67.2%) sera analysed. The results of the chi-squared test showed that sex and health status had no significant effect (P > 0.05) on E. cuniculi seropositivity; however, rabbits older than 4 months had a seropositivity for E. cuniculi significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that of rabbits aged up to 4 months. The results of the present survey reinforce the assumption that rabbit may be indicated as the main reservoir of E. cuniculi; therefore, routine screening examinations in pet rabbits are strongly advised considering the zoonotic potential of this parasite.

No abstract

No abstract

This study was aimed at evaluating the prevalence of Campylobacter spp., Escherichia coli O157, Salmonella spp., and related virulence factors (the cdt, stx, and eae genes) in urban pigeons of the coastal area of the Campania region (southern Italy). To achieve this goal, cloacal swab samples from a total of 1800 urban pigeons were collected and subjected to culture methods, PCR, and serotyping. The results of the present study showed a prevalence of 48.3% (870/1800), 7.8% (141/1800), and 0.9% (16/1800), for C. jejuni, E. coli O157, and S. Typhimurium, respectively. All C. jejuni isolates (870/870) carried cdt genes, whereas all E. coli O157 isolates carried stx genes, and 14.9% (21/141) carried the eae gene. These findings clearly show that urban pigeons in the coastal area of the Campania region may constitute an environmental reservoir of these pathogens, thus representing a source of infection for other birds, livestock, and humans.

Significance and Impact of the Study: The oral cavity of snakes sampled harboured a wide range of bacteria. Our results suggest that people who come in contact with snakes could be at risk of infection and should follow proper hygiene practices when handling these reptiles. AbstractThis study was aimed at evaluating the oral bacterial flora of 60 Python regius kept as pets by culture and biochemical methods. All isolates were also submitted to antimicrobial susceptibility testing using the disc diffusion method. The oral cavity of snakes sampled harboured a wide range of Gramnegative bacteria mainly constituted by Pseudomonas spp., Morganella morganii, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Aeromonas hydrophila, but also by Salmonella spp. Staphylococcus spp. was the commonest Gram-positive isolates, and various anaerobic Clostridium species were also found. The most effective antimicrobial agents were enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin, followed by doxycycline and gentamicin. IntroductionIt is estimated that about 640 000 live reptiles are traded annually worldwide (Dipineto et al. 2012). Regarding snakes, there are over 2900 species in the world and a variety of snake species have enjoyed increasing popularity as pets during the last few years (Mitchell 2009). The most common, by far, are the colubrids, boids and python. However, although this increasing popularity is positive for veterinarians and herpetoculturists interested in the captive care and management of these animals, it has also caused increased concerns among public health officials because of the zoonotic potential (e.g. Salmonella) associated with these animals. Bacterial diseases of reptiles are occasionally caused by primary pathogens but often are the result of an immunocompromising condition, such as inappropriate temperatures, humidity or enclosure hygiene (Chinnadurai and Devoe 2009).The oral flora of snakes comprises a wide range of aerobic and anaerobic micro-organisms, especially the faecal Gram-negative rods, because their prey usually defecate while being ingested (Garg et al. 2009). Studies on the bacterial flora in snake's mouth have been undertaken worldwide (Blaylock 2001;Shek et al. 2009), but for Italy, specific data are lacking. The present study was therefore aimed at evaluating the oral bacterial flora of Python regius, one of the most popular snake species kept as pet worldwide. Results and discussionThe oropharynx of the P. regius checked in the present study contained a wide range of bacteria mainly represented by Gram-negative bacteria as proven by Gram staining. In particular, on each smear was visualized a prevalence of 80% for Gram-negative bacteria vs a prevalence of 20% for Gram-positive bacteria. Among Gram-negative isolates, Pseudomonas spp., identified as Ps. aeruginosa (n = 42) and Ps. putida (n = 9), were the commonest micro-organism (85%) followed by Morganella morganii (75%), Acinetobacter calcoaceticus (40%) and Citrobacter freundii (40%). Other important Gramnegative pathogens included Aeromonas hydrophila (30%) and Prot...