title: European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) challenged with Escherichia coli O157 can carry and transmit the human pathogen to cattle.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) are an invasive species in the United States and are considered a nuisance pest to agriculture. The goal of this study was to determine the potential for these birds to be reservoirs and/or vectors for the human pathogen Escherichia coli O157:H7.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Under biosecurity confinement, starlings were challenged with various doses of E. coli O157:H7 to determine a minimum infectious dose, the magnitude and duration of pathogen shedding, and the potential of pathogen transmission among starlings and between starlings and cattle. Birds transiently excreted E. coli O157:H7 following low-dose inoculation; however, exposure to greater than 10(5.5) colony-forming units (CFUs) resulted in shedding for more than 3 days in 50% of the birds. Colonized birds typically excreted greater than 10(3) CFU g(-1) of faeces, and the pathogen was detected for as long as 14 days postinoculation. Cohabitating E. coli O157:H7-positive starlings with culture-negative birds or 12-week-old calves resulted in intra- and interspecies pathogen transmission within 24 h. Likewise, E. coli O157:H7 was recovered from previously culture-negative starlings following 24-h cohabitation with calves shedding E. coli O157:H7.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  European starlings may be a suitable reservoir and vector of E. coli O157:H7.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given the duration and magnitude of E. coli O157:H7 shedding by European starlings, European starlings should be considered a public health hazard. Measures aimed at controlling environmental contamination with starling excrement, on the farm and in public venues, may decrease food-producing animal and human exposure to this pathogen.
authors: Food Animal Health Research Program, Wooster, OH 44691, USA.
authors: M D
authors: MD
authors: Kauffman
authors: J
authors: J
authors: LeJeune
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D057138:Bacterial Shedding; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000635:transmission*; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000382:microbiology; D004199:Disease Vectors; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D019453:Escherichia coli O157; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D046749:Starlings; D014481:United States