Salmonella prevalence among reptiles in a Zoo education setting
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Salmonella prevalence among reptiles in a Zoo education setting. / Hydeskov, H. B.; Guardabassi, Luca; Aalbæk, Bent; Olsen, Katharina Elisabeth Pribil; Nielsen, Søren Saxmose; Bertelsen, Mads Frost.
I: Zoonoses and Public Health, Bind 60, Nr. 4, 2013, s. 291-295.Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › fagfællebedømt
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Salmonella prevalence among reptiles in a Zoo education setting
AU - Hydeskov, H. B.
AU - Guardabassi, Luca
AU - Aalbæk, Bent
AU - Olsen, Katharina Elisabeth Pribil
AU - Nielsen, Søren Saxmose
AU - Bertelsen, Mads Frost
N1 - © 2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - Clinically healthy reptiles may shed Salmonella and therefore act as a potential zoonotic threat. Most people in Northern European countries are rarely exposed to reptiles, but many zoos have education departments where children have direct contact with this group of animals. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence and serotype distribution of Salmonella among reptiles in the Education Department (n = 55) at Copenhagen Zoo and compare it to the Zoo's main reptile collection (n = 145) to evaluate the zoonotic risk. Salmonella was isolated from cloacal swabs by selective enrichment, and a single isolate from each positive sample was further identified by biochemical tests and serotyped. The overall prevalence was 35% (69/200) with significant difference between the Education Department (64%, 35/55) and the main reptile collection (23%, 34/145). A total of 28 serotypes were detected. Ten serotypes were isolated from more than one specimen and four from more than one species. Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Eastbourne was the predominant serotype (32%, 22/69) and was also the serotype isolated from most reptile species (n = 7). Transmission of serotypes from one department to another was very limited indicated by the serotype distribution. Despite the relative high prevalence observed among the reptiles in the Zoo's Education Department compared to the reptiles in the Zoo's main reptile collection, no Salmonella cases have been linked to the Zoo, and Salmonella ser. Eastbourne is very rarely isolated from humans in Denmark. Simple hygienic procedures such as hand washing which is consistently carried out following handling of reptiles at the Education Department may reduce the risk and therefore contribute to this low prevalence.
AB - Clinically healthy reptiles may shed Salmonella and therefore act as a potential zoonotic threat. Most people in Northern European countries are rarely exposed to reptiles, but many zoos have education departments where children have direct contact with this group of animals. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence and serotype distribution of Salmonella among reptiles in the Education Department (n = 55) at Copenhagen Zoo and compare it to the Zoo's main reptile collection (n = 145) to evaluate the zoonotic risk. Salmonella was isolated from cloacal swabs by selective enrichment, and a single isolate from each positive sample was further identified by biochemical tests and serotyped. The overall prevalence was 35% (69/200) with significant difference between the Education Department (64%, 35/55) and the main reptile collection (23%, 34/145). A total of 28 serotypes were detected. Ten serotypes were isolated from more than one specimen and four from more than one species. Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Eastbourne was the predominant serotype (32%, 22/69) and was also the serotype isolated from most reptile species (n = 7). Transmission of serotypes from one department to another was very limited indicated by the serotype distribution. Despite the relative high prevalence observed among the reptiles in the Zoo's Education Department compared to the reptiles in the Zoo's main reptile collection, no Salmonella cases have been linked to the Zoo, and Salmonella ser. Eastbourne is very rarely isolated from humans in Denmark. Simple hygienic procedures such as hand washing which is consistently carried out following handling of reptiles at the Education Department may reduce the risk and therefore contribute to this low prevalence.
KW - Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
KW - Human salmonellosis
KW - Sauria
KW - Serpentes
KW - Testudines
KW - tortoises
KW - turtles
KW - zoonosis
KW - zoonotic risk
U2 - 10.1111/j.1863-2378.2012.01521.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1863-2378.2012.01521.x
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 22835051
VL - 60
SP - 291
EP - 295
JO - Zoonoses and Public Health
JF - Zoonoses and Public Health
SN - 1863-1959
IS - 4
ER -
ID: 44276545