1Graduate
Institute of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary
Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan,
R.O.C.; 2Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary
Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.; 3Endemic
Species Research Institute, Chichi, Nantou County, Taiwan, R.O.C. *Corresponding author: thc@nchu.edu.tw (THC); hsuan@nchu.edu.tw (SLH)
Abstract
Salmonella are
important zoonotic pathogens manifest mostly gastro-enteritis in humans and many
animal species. This study investigated the presence of
Salmonella in wild birds that were rescued and admitted to the Wildlife
First Aid Station of the Endemic Species Research Institute from March 2011 to
February 2012 in Taiwan. Fecal samples from the
wild birds were collected and cultivated for Salmonella. Salmonella
isolates were further subjected to serotype, antimicrobial resistance, and DNA
fingerprint analyses. Of the 237 fecal samples, 23 (9.7%) were positive
for Salmonella using the method described in ISO 6579. Twenty-four
Salmonella isolates were collected as
two isolates were simultaneously obtained from one Accipiter trivirgatus.
Salmonella Albany at 54.2% was
the most isolated serotype, followed by S.
Newport (12.5%) and S. Montevideo
(8.3%). Other identified serotypes included
S. Schwarzengrund, Weltevreden, and
Itami. Multiple-drug resistance was detected in 62.5% of the isolates;
meanwhile, only 20.8% of the isolates were susceptible to five classes of all
tested antibiotics. The DNA fingerprints derived from pulse-field gel
electrophoresis revealed a high level of similarity among
S. Albany isolates. This is the first
study to report the isolation and antimicrobial resistance of
Salmonellain
sheltered wild birds in Taiwan.