ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF Salmonella spp. FROM RED FOXES IN SICILY

Salmonella species are important zoonotic enteropathogens that affect humans, livestock, companion and zoo animals, and wildlife. In Europe, bacteria of the genus Salmonella cause 31% of cases of food‐borne bacterial enteritis in humans. However, despite Salmonella decreases in several countries, Italy reported more human Salmonella cases in 2009 than in 2008, which account for 39.5% of the confirmed cases in Europe. Furthermore, the number of recorded animals with Salmonella is increasing, and many of isolations showed antimicrobial resistance [EFSA, 2011]. The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize Salmonella strains from red foxes hunted or found in Sicily. 120 foxes were collected from January to July 2013 in the Sicilian territory. The isolation of Salmonella spp. was conducted at the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia according to the ISO standard 6579:2002. The presumptive positive Salmonella isolates were subjected to biochemical analysis using the API 20E identification system. All isolates were serotyped at the National Reference Center for Salmonellosis. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out on the isolates against 8 antimicrobial agents using the Kirby‐Baüer method. We classified the isolates as susceptible, intermediate or resistant according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines 33 Salmonella strains wee isolated from Sicilian red foxes. Serotyping of the Salmonella isolates resulted in, 12 S. Manhattan, 7 S. Muenster, 7 S. Montevideo, 1 S. Newport, 1 S. Kambole, 1 S. Tomegbe, 1. S. Richmond, S. Vleuten and 1 S. Derby, 1 S. enterica subsp. Enterica. For all the isolated strains antibiotic susceptibily testing was carried out. All the strains were sensitive to the tested antibiotics (ampicillin, amikacin, enrofloxacin, cefotaxime, tetracicline, co‐trimoxazole, chloranfenicol). Only on strain showed an intermediate resistance to tetracicline and ampicillin. Discussion Among factors which can have a role in human transmission there are i) carriage by different insects, rodent, and mammals found in close contact with domestic animals; ii) direct contact between human and wildlife; iii) consumption of meat obtained from animals which are carriers of Salmonella (such as waterbirds and wild boards) (Hilbert et al., 2012). Wildlife may be carriers of several pathogens, which can be transmitted to domestic ruminants, as well as to their farmers. There is a need to increase sampling and testing to ensure a broader evaluation of the epidemiological role of wildlife (Billinis, 2013). All the strains were sensitive to the tested antibiotics (ampicillin, amikacin, enrofloxacin, cefotaxime, tetracicline, co‐trimoxazole, chloranfenicol). Only on strain showed an intermediate resistance to tetracicline and ampicillin. Discussion Among factors which can have a role in human transmission there are i) carriage by different insects, rodent, and mammals found in close contact with domestic animals; ii) direct contact between human and wildlife; iii) consumption of meat obtained from animals which are carriers of Salmonella (such as waterbirds and wild boards) (Hilbert et al., 2012). Wildlife may be carriers of several pathogens, which can be transmitted to domestic ruminants, as well as to their farmers. There is a need to increase sampling and testing to ensure a broader evaluation of the epidemiological role of wildlife (Billinis, 2013).