Identification and characterization of Salmonella isolates from captured house sparrows

Authors: SARA MIRZAIE, MOHAMMAD HASSANZADEH, IRADJ ASHRAFI

Abstract: The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of Salmonella in a population of house sparrows, which are commonly found around poultry houses, and to characterize the obtained Salmonella isolates via serotyping, multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and antibiotic resistance analysis. Samples of visceral organs (gastrointestinal tract, liver, and heart) from 470 house sparrows were subjected to culture and the results show that 18 (3.8%) were positive for Salmonella. Of the 18 Salmonella isolates characterized, the most predominant serovars were Salmonella Typhimurium and S. Enteritidis (9 and 8 cases each, respectively), whereas only 1 serovar belonged to S. Montevideo. All 9 S. Typhimurium serovars were positive for rfbJ, fljB, invA, and fliC genes based on multiplex PCR assay. In the case of S. Enteritidis serovars, PCR generated amplification products for spv and sefA genes, and a random sequence (specific for the genus Salmonella) in all 8 samples. All the Salmonella isolates were sensitive to norfloxacin, flumequine, ampicillin, and sultrim, and 35% were resistant to lincospectin (the most prevalent resistance).

Keywords: Salmonella, sparrows, serotyping, multiplex PCR

Full Text: PDF