Asian Network for Scientific Information (ANSINET), Current Research in Bacteriology, 1(4), p. 28-33, 2010
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The aim of this study was to investigate the carriage of antibiotic resistant strains of pathogenic E. coli and Salmonella sp. by pigeons in Saudi Arabia. A total of 400 fresh faecal samples of rock pigeons were screened for the presence of E. coli O157 and Salmonella . Selective plating technique was used to isolate the bacteria and disk diffusion method was used to assess their susceptibility patterns to eight antibiotics. Of the 400 faecal samples, 2.5% were positive for shiga toxin-producing E. coli and 2.0% were positive for Salmonella . E. coli O157 showed low resistance patterns (30%) to one or more of the antibiotics used, whereas Salmonella isolates exhibited higher resistance (62.5%) to one antimicrobial agent. The results reported in this study clearly showed that free-living pigeons in Makkah, western Saudi Arabia may constitute a reservoir of antibiotic resistant strains of shiga toxin-producing E. coli and Salmonella that could be of risk to other birds, feedlot animals and humans. However, given the relatively low incidence of these pathogens suggests that free-living pigeons may not play an important role in the infections occurred in the community due to these pathogens.