Feral pigeons (Columba livia) as potential reservoirs of Salmonella sp. and Escherichia coli

Antimicrobial susceptibility and detection of virulence-associated genes of Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. isolated from domestic pigeons (Columba livia) in Brazil

Overpopulation of domestic pigeons is considered to be one of the major problems of urban centers, as these birds are responsible for the dissemination of relevant pathogens to animal and human health. The aim of this study was to detect potentially pathogenic Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. in domestic pigeons captured in areas near silos used for grain and feed storage, analyzing the antimicrobial sensitivity and the presence of virulence-associated genes. We evaluated 41 pigeons. From each bird, cecal contents and a pool of viscera (heart, spleen, and liver) were collected. Fifty strains of E. coli and three strains of S. Typhimurium were isolated. The antimicrobial susceptibility assay showed that 2% of the isolates of E. coli were resistant to chloramphenicol and the combination of sulfamethoxazole + trimethoprim and 4% to tetracycline, doxycycline, and sulfonamide. The three S. Typhimurium strains were sensitive to all antimicrobials tested. The pathogenicity profile demonstrated that no E. coli isolates showed a STEC compatible profile. Regarding the APEC pathotype, all genes were observed in 8% of E. coli, 6% had only the iss gene and 4% presented ompT, hlyF, and iutA genes. invA, hilA, avrA, and lpfA genes were detected in 100% of Salmonella isolates. The sitC and pefA genes were only present in one strain and the remaining genes were detected in two. In conclusion, it was found that pigeons living in the vicinity of silos are carriers of important pathogens, and control measures should be taken to minimize animal and human health risks.