Determination of the Incidence of Salmonella spp., Campylobacter jejuni, and Clostridium perfringens in Wild Birds near Broiler Chicken Houses by Sampling Intestinal Droppings

Abstract

Several methods were evaluated for collecting fecal and intestinal samples from wild birds found near broiler chicken houses. A few intestinal samples and cloacal swabs were obtained from European starlings and house sparrows. Most of the samples collected consisted of wild bird droppings found on or near the houses. Samples were collected from each of four farms of a broiler integrator during a grow-out cycle: a cycle in the summer for farm A, fall for farm B, and spring, summer, fall, and winter for farms C and D. Of the 25 wild bird intestinal and fecal samples collected from a broiler house on farm A during a grow-out cycle in July-August 1997, 24% were positive for Salmonella spp., 4% for Campylobacter jejuni, and 28% for Clostridium perfringens. Of the nine fecal samples collected from broiler house B in a grow-out cycle in September-November 1997, 33% were positive for Salmonella spp., 11% for C. jejuni, and 22% for C. perfringens. For farms C and D, of the 23 samples collected in March-April 1998, 0 were positive for Salmonella spp., 11% for C. jejuni, and 52% for C. perfringens; of 27 samples collected in June-July 1998, 4% were positive for Salmonella spp., 0 for C. jejuni, and 13% for C. perfringens; of 24 samples collected in August-October 1998, 14% were positive for Salmonella spp., 5% for C. jejuni, and 4% for C. perfringens; of 14 samples collected December 1998-January 1999, 0 were positive for Salmonella, 50% for C. jejuni, and 14% for C. perfringens. The incidence of these bacterial enteropathogens in wild birds near the broiler chicken houses suggests that wild birds that gain entry to poultry grow-out houses have the potential to transmit these pathogens to poultry.

Sources of Campylobacter Colonization in Broiler Chickens

“…Individually caged hens also have a seasonal variation in excretion rates (24), suggesting that, under circumstances limiting bird-to-bird contact, climatic changes influence colonization Preliminary data analysis (Newell et al, presented at the 10th International Workshop on Campylobacter, Helicobacter, and Related Organisms, Baltimore, Md., 1999) suggests that the seasonal variation in humans coincides with or even precedes rather than follows that in poultry, which may indicate a seasonality in common environmental sources yet to be identified. Seasonally associated shedding has been reported in wild birds (23), cattle (89), and sheep (56), but the relationship between this and seasonal colonization in broiler flocks is unknown.…”

“…C. jejuni has evolved to most effectively colonize the avian gut, and not surprisingly, many wild birds, including waterfowl, pigeons, and passerines, are colonized (23,29,116). The prevalence of colonization may be dependent on age, species, habitat, season, and migratory behavior (109,116).…”

Clostridium perfringensin poultry: an emerging threat for animal and public health

“…C. perfringens is also widespread in the environment, such as soil and water (Davies & Wray, 1996;Thakur & Grover, 2001;Desmarais et al, 2002). It is also shown that intestinal droppings of wild birds contain high numbers of C. perfringens and that free-living birds can suffer from necrotic enteritis (Craven et al, 2000;Asaoka et al, 2003). In environmental samples collected on poultry farms, the highest incidences of C. perfringens are detected in wall swabs (53%), fan swabs (46%), fly strips (43%), dirt outside the entrance (43%) and swabs of boots (29%) (Craven et al, 2001a).…”

Detección de especies de Salmonella y Mycobacterium en gaviotas dominicanas (Larus dominicanus) y gaviotas de Franklin (Leucophaeus pipixcan) en la ciudad de Talcahuano, Chile

“…Si bien es cierto que la Salmonelosis no se considera endémica en las aves silvestres, algunos autores señalan que durante los meses correspondientes a las estaciones de primavera y verano, la Salmonella spp podría ser de fácil detección en el medio ambiente y en las aves 29,30 . En este estudio, el mayor número de aislamientos se obtuvo de L. dominicanus capturadas en la época de otoño e invierno.…”