Pet birds as potential reservoirs of virulent and antibiotic resistant zoonotic bacteria. (April 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ahmed, Heba A.; Awad, Naglaa F.S.; Abd El-Hamid, Marwa I.; Shaker, Asmaa; Mohamed, Rehab E.; Elsohaby, Ibrahim
• Is Part Of: Comparative immunology, microbiology and infectious diseases. Volume 75(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-04
• Subjects: E. coli -- Genotyping -- K. pneumoniae -- MDR -- Pet birds -- S. aureus; Communicable diseases in animals -- Periodicals; Veterinary immunology -- Periodicals; Veterinary microbiology -- Periodicals; Immunology -- Periodicals; Microbiology -- Periodicals; Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; Communicable Diseases -- immunology -- Periodicals; Communicable Diseases -- veterinary -- Periodicals; Allergy and Immunology -- Periodicals; Microbiology -- Periodicals; Veterinary Medicine -- Periodicals; Immunologie -- Périodiques; Microbiologie -- Périodiques; Maladies infectieuses -- Périodiques; Communicable diseases; Immunology; Microbiology; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 636.08969
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2020.101606
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0147-9571

Abstract

Highlights: Pet birds are potential reservoirs of antibiotic resistant zoonotic bacteria. ERIC-PCR has a high discriminatory power compared to RAPD. Clustering of the isolates from pet birds and human contacts with 100 % similarity. The locality of the birds has a significant effect on the likelihood of infection. Abstract: Bacterial pathogens carried by pet birds are considered a risk for birds, workers, and pet owners. This study investigated the potential of pet birds as reservoirs for virulent multidrug-resistant (MDR) zoonotic bacteria and assessed the genetic relatedness and diversity of bacterial isolates from pet birds and human contacts. Cloacal and tracheal swabs from 125 pet birds and 70 hand swabs from human contacts were collected. The results revealed that the pet birds were reservoirs for Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae (17.6 %, each), and Staphylococcus aureus (15.2 %). These isolates were also identified in their human contacts, at percentages of 14.3 %, 12.9 %, and 24.3 %, respectively. Virulence associated genes were identified from E. coli ( stx 2, stx 2f, eae A, and hly A), K. pneumoniae ( fim H, TraT, and mag A), and S. aureus (PVL, hly, sea, sed genes) isolates. Multidrug-resistant E. coli, K. pneumoniae, and S. aureus were highly prevalent (81.3 %, 90.3 %, and 61.1 %, respectively). The genetic relationship between the E. coli and K. pneumoniae isolates from the pet birds and human contacts were determined by ERIC-PCR, while, RAPD-PCR was used for the S. aureus isolates. ERIC-PCR was found to have the highest discriminatory power. The clustering of the isolates from the pet birds and human contacts indicated potential transmission between the birds and workers. In conclusion, pet birds could act as potential reservoirs for zoonotic bacterial pathogens; thus, posing a risk to their human contacts.