Campylobacter jejuni in the red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) population of Southern Italy.
Rectal swab samples were collected from 60 red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) from July 2006 to April 2007 in Southern Italy. Samples were tested for Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli by culture methods and suspected colonies were then confirmed by polymerase chain reaction. C. jejuni was detected in 5/60 (8.3%) samples examined but infection status was not related to age or sex and C. coli was not isolated. This is believed to be the first report of C. jejuni infection in the red squirrel.
Dipineto
Ludovico
L
Dipartimento di Patologia e Sanità Animale, Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Università di Napoli Federico II, via Delpino, 1, 80137 Napoli, Italy. dipineto@unina.it
Gargiulo
Antonio
A
Cuomo
Alessandra
A
Santaniello
Antonio
A
Sensale
Mariangela
M
Borrelli
Luca
L
D'Angelo
Livia
L
Menna
Lucia F
LF
Fioretti
Alessandro
A
D000818:Animals; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D017000:Campylobacter coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012589:Sciuridae / Q000382:microbiology*