title: Prevalence of Salmonella strains in wild animals from a highly populated area of north-eastern Italy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Salmonella is a ubiquitous pathogen that can infect host species, like wild birds, rodents, and/or arthropods, which may transmit infection to domestic animals and human population.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In order to assess the related risk, a cross-sectional study was performed on 1114 carcasses of wild animals from a north-eastern area of the Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy.
  
  
  METHODS
  During post mortem examination, intestine samples were cultured. A statistical analysis demonstrated that there is no correlation between the presence of sub-clinically infected animals and greater human population density. In contrast, a significant correlation between the number of carcasses positive for Salmonella spp. and greater spatial density of pig, poultry, and cattle farms was observed (p < 0.01).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of the present study show that wild animals with omnivorous feeding habits are particularly exposed to Salmonella colonization and, consequently, to spreading the organism. Regarding drug resistance, this study confirms the resistance to antimicrobials is increasing in commensal and environmental isolates.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, Italy.
authors.forename: Silva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rubini
authors.affiliation: Scuola di Specializzazione in Igiene e Medicina Preventiva, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ravaioli
authors.affiliation: Scuola di Specializzazione in Igiene e Medicina Preventiva, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Previato
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: D'Incau
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica, Direzione Attività Veterinarie, Igiene degli Allevamenti e delle Produzioni Zootecniche, Azienda USL di Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tassinari
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Sezione di Medicina di Sanità Pubblica, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Enrica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guidi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Sezione di Medicina di Sanità Pubblica, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lupi
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Merialdi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Sezione di Medicina di Sanità Pubblica, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bergamini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000382:microbiology; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000382:microbiology*; D001717:Birds; D002417:Cattle; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008322:Mammals; D011156:Population Density; D015995:Prevalence; D012475:Salmonella; D012481:Salmonella Infections, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D013552:Swine