title: Zoonotic pathogens isolated from wild animals and environmental samples at two California wildlife hospitals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine types and estimate prevalence of potentially zoonotic enteric pathogens shed by wild animals admitted to either of 2 wildlife hospitals and to characterize distribution of these pathogens and of aerobic bacteria in a hospital environment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fecal samples from 338 animals in 2 wildlife hospitals and environmental samples from 1 wildlife hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fecal samples were collected within 24 hours of hospital admission. Environmental samples were collected from air and surfaces. Samples were tested for zoonotic pathogens via culture techniques and biochemical analyses. Prevalence of pathogen shedding was compared among species groups, ages, sexes, and seasons. Bacterial counts were determined for environmental samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Campylobacter spp, Vibrio spp, Salmonella spp, Giardia spp, and Cryptosporidium spp (alone or in combination) were detected in 105 of 338 (31%) fecal samples. Campylobacter spp were isolated only from birds. Juvenile passerines were more likely to shed Campylobacter spp than were adults; prevalence increased among juvenile passerines during summer. Non-O1 serotypes of Vibrio cholerae were isolated from birds; during an oil-spill response, 9 of 10 seabirds screened were shedding this pathogen, which was also detected in environmental samples. Salmonella spp and Giardia spp were isolated from birds and mammals; Cryptosporidium spp were isolated from mammals only. Floors of animal rooms had higher bacterial counts than did floors with only human traffic.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Potentially zoonotic enteric pathogens were identified in samples from several species admitted to wildlife hospitals, indicating potential for transmission if prevention is not practiced.
authors.affiliation: Wildlife Health Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA. jensiembieda@ucdavis.edu
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Siembieda
authors.forename: Woutrina A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Barbara A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Byrne
authors.forename: Michael H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ziccardi
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Nadira
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chouicha
authors.forename: Christian E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Sandrock
authors.forename: Christine K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001717:Birds / Q000382:microbiology*; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D006762:Hospitals, Animal; D006801:Humans; D008322:Mammals / Q000382:microbiology*; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*