Campylobacter infection in wild artiodactyl species from southern Spain: occurrence, risk factors and antimicrobial susceptibility.
A cross-sectional study was performed to assess the occurrence of Campylobacter species and to identify potential associated risk factors for wild artiodactyl species in southern Spain. Campylobacter species were isolated in 55 of 363 (15.2%) faecal samples. Campylobacter was identified in faeces from wild boar (49/126; 38.9%), red deer (5/179; 2.8%) and mouflon (1/13; 7.7%) but not from fallow deer (0/45). The isolated Campylobacter species were identified as C. jejuni (2 isolates; 3.6%), C. coli (11 isolates; 20.0%) and C. lanienae (37 isolates; 67.3%). Five isolates (9.1%) could not be identified at the species level. This report is the first to describe C. lanienae infection in wild ruminant species. Resistance to erythromycin (4.8%), ciprofloxacin (37.5%), tetracycline (52.9%) and streptomycin (55%) were detected. C. lanienae presented a significantly higher number of susceptible isolates to ciprofloxacin and tetracycline than C. coli. Due to the low number of positive wild ruminants, a Generalised Estimating Equations model was only carried out for wild boar. The model indicated that the risk factors associated with Campylobacter infection were the density of wild boar (>10/100ha) (OR: 3.05; CI95%: 2.2-4.3), the presence of artificial waterholes (OR: 3.67; CI95%: 1.3-10.5) and the winter season (OR: 3.30; CI95%: 1.9-5.8). Campylobacter infection is widespread in wild boar populations in southern Spain. These findings suggest that wild artiodactyls, particularly wild boar, constitute a reservoir of Campylobacter species, including resistant and multi-resistant strains, which may be of public health concern.
Department of Animal Health, University of Cordoba (Spain), Edificio de Sanidad Animal, Campus de Rabanales, 14014 Cordoba, Spain. Electronic address: espargen@hotmail.com.
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Carbonero
Department of Animal Health, University of Cordoba (Spain), Edificio de Sanidad Animal, Campus de Rabanales, 14014 Cordoba, Spain.
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Paniagua
Department of Animal Health, University of Cordoba (Spain), Edificio de Sanidad Animal, Campus de Rabanales, 14014 Cordoba, Spain.
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Torralbo
Department of Animal Health, University of Cordoba (Spain), Edificio de Sanidad Animal, Campus de Rabanales, 14014 Cordoba, Spain.
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Arenas-Montes
Department of Animal Health, University of Cordoba (Spain), Edificio de Sanidad Animal, Campus de Rabanales, 14014 Cordoba, Spain.
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Borge
Department of Animal Health, University of Cordoba (Spain), Edificio de Sanidad Animal, Campus de Rabanales, 14014 Cordoba, Spain.
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García-Bocanegra
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002167:Campylobacter / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D017000:Campylobacter coli / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003670:Deer / Q000382:microbiology*; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D015994:Incidence; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000382:microbiology*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
Antimicrobial resistance; Campylobacter; Lanienae; Risk factors; Spain; Wild artiodactyls