title: Prevalence of antimicrobial resistance among pigeon isolates of Streptococcus gallolyticus, Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium.
abstract: Thirty-three Streptococcus gallolyticus, 60 Escherichia coli and 18 Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium var. Copenhagen strains isolated from homing pigeons (Columba livia) were tested for susceptibility to the antimicrobials most commonly used to treat pigeons. Minimal inhibitory concentrations were determined using the agar dilution technique. Aminoglycosides (gentamicin and kanamycin), trimethoprim and flumequine were relatively inactive against the streptococci tested. Acquired tetracycline resistance amounted to 85%, and lincomycin and macrolide (erythromycin) resistance to 48 and 45%, respectively. Fluoroquinolone (enrofloxacin) resistance was found in four S. gallolyticus strains. All strains were susceptible to ampicillin. With the E. coli strains, resistance was found to all antibiotics tested. Over one-half of them were resistant to tetracycline and to broad-spectrum penicillins (ampicillin); however, none showed extended spectrum beta-lactamase activity, implying that the cephalosporins (ceftiofur) remained active. Resistance to trimethoprim, aminoglycosides and fluoroquinolone ranked next. In contrast to the S. gallolyticus and E. coli strains, the S. enterica strains were susceptible to all the antimicrobials tested.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Poultry Diseases, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium. anja.kimpe@rug.ac.be
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kimpe
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Decostere
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martel
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Haesebrouck
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Devriese
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010856:Columbidae / Q000382:microbiology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012475:Salmonella / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012481:Salmonella Infections, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000187:drug effects*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents