Characteristics ofSalmonellaspp. Isolated from Wild Birds Confiscated in Illegal Trade Markets, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract

The prevalence ofSalmonellaspp. was investigated in 109 wild birds poached in the illegal wildlife trade in Rio de Janeiro; most of them are passerines from Thraupidae family and three from Psittacidae. One strain ofSalmonellaser. Typhimurium and two strains ofSalmonellaser. Panama were isolated from passerine species and all of them showed resistance to multiple antimicrobial drugs, like ampicillin, ceftriaxone, ceftiofur, tetracycline, gentamicin, nalidixic acid, ciprofloxacin, and enrofloxacin. PFGE showed 100% similarity among theSalmonellaser. Typhimurium strain isolated from a Temminck’s seedeater (Sporophila falcirostris) and the strains isolated from a human outbreak, in southern Brazil. The twoSalmonellaser. Panama strains isolated from two chestnut-capped blackbirds (Chrysomus ruficapillus) present in the same catch showed the same clonal origin and have never been associated with epizooties and human outbreaks. Potential for dissemination of resistantSalmonellathrough situations offered by captive management and the isolation of the same strain from wild birds and human sources may become a problem for the conservation of natural populations and to public health.