Prevalence of Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Escherichia coli on ostrich carcasses and the susceptibility of ostrich-origin E. coli isolates to various antibiotics.

There has been limited research on the prevalence of foodborne pathogens such as Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and Campylobacter on ostrich carcasses. Likewise, few studies have been done in ostriches to determine the antimicrobial susceptibilities of common bacteria, like E. coli. In this study, ostrich carcasses were sampled from eight slaughterhouses in Ohio and one in Indiana. Although results demonstrated no E. coli O157:H7 from the carcasses sampled, 91% (116/128) of the dressed carcasses sampled had E. coli present. One carcass sample (1/152) was positive for Salmonella. Campylobacter were detected in 10% (19/191) of the carcasses. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing on 93 carcass E. coli isolates showed resistance to erythromycin (99%), neomycin (65%), netilmicin (2%), oxytetracycline (22%), streptomycin (2%), and trimethoprim (3%). All isolates were resistant to bacitracin, lincomycin, penicillin, and vancomycin. For the large intestinal sampling, 149 of the 217 (69%) samples had E. coli present. Fifty of these 149 samples had E. coli levels ranging from 10(2) to 10(5) colony-forming units/g feces. Campylobacter were isolated from 6 of 201 (3%) samples. No Salmonella colony was detected. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing on 131 intestinal E. coli isolates showed resistance to erythromycin (98%), neomycin (66%), netilmicin (34%), oxytetracycline (34%), streptomycin (40%), and trimethoprim (13%). All isolates were resistant to bacitracin, lincomycin, penicillin, and vancomycin.