[Stationary and migratory avifauna as reservoirs of Salmonella, Yersinia and Campylobacter].

Domestic and wild animals have been always considered very important as reservoir of agents of human infections. Particularly birds, because of their great mobility from a continent to another or within the limits of the same ecosystem may transfer pathogenic micro-organisms. The present survey was undertaken in order to evaluate the presence of Campylobacter, Yersinia and Salmonella in migratory and permanent birds. During the period October 1986 to March 1988 intestinal loops were collected from a total of 217 birds representing 17 different species shot, during hunting seasons, in the inland of Versilia in the district of Lucca. Each sample was divided into three parts and examined for the presence of Campylobacter, Yersinia and Salmonella. Campylobacter was isolated from 74 of the 217 birds examined (34.10%). Yersinia was recovered from 26 birds (11.98%), while only 8 birds (3.68%) harboured Salmonella. Most of the samples carried only one of the three bacterial genera investigated while 9 harboured at the same time Yersinia and Campylobacter, 1 Salmonella and Campylobacter, and 1 Salmonella, Yersinia and Campylobacter. Campylobacter spp.: On the ground of Lior's biotyping scheme, the 74 strains, isolated from 16 of the 17 species of birds examined, have assigned to three biochemically different species. C. coli was the most commonly isolated followed by C. jejuni and C. laridis. Of the 54 isolates of C. coli 30 belonged to biotype I and 24 to biotype II. 19 C. jejuni organisms were differentiated into 5 belonging to biotype I and 14 to biotype II. The only C. laridis isolated belonged to biotype I. Yersinia spp.: 37 strains belonging to the genus Yersinia were isolated from 26 birds. In 10 samples different types of Yersinia were identified. Most of the strains could be ascribed to Yersinia enterocolitica (28 strains), 3 to Yersinia frederiksenii, 3 to Yersinia intermedia and 1 to Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. 2 strains were identified as atypical Yersinia. Salmonella spp.: 8 strains belonging to the genus Salmonella were isolated from 3 different species of birds. The isolates were identified as Salmonella typhi-murium (7 strains) and Salmonella blockley (1 strain). Salmonella has been isolated from 8 birds, six of which were pheasants shot during the same day in the same area and probably coming from the same breeding. In fact, in Tuscany, pheasants are bred and then set free in many hunting areas.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)