Food Animal Health Research Program, Wooster, OH 44691, USA.
Lett Appl Microbiol. 2011 Dec;53(6):596-601. doi: 10.1111/j.1472-765X.2011.03163.x. Epub 2011 Oct 31.
European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) are an invasive species in the United States and are considered a nuisance pest to agriculture. The goal of this study was to determine the potential for these birds to be reservoirs and/or vectors for the human pathogen Escherichia coli O157:H7.
Under biosecurity confinement, starlings were challenged with various doses of E. coli O157:H7 to determine a minimum infectious dose, the magnitude and duration of pathogen shedding, and the potential of pathogen transmission among starlings and between starlings and cattle. Birds transiently excreted E. coli O157:H7 following low-dose inoculation; however, exposure to greater than 10(5.5) colony-forming units (CFUs) resulted in shedding for more than 3 days in 50% of the birds. Colonized birds typically excreted greater than 10(3) CFU g(-1) of faeces, and the pathogen was detected for as long as 14 days postinoculation. Cohabitating E. coli O157:H7-positive starlings with culture-negative birds or 12-week-old calves resulted in intra- and interspecies pathogen transmission within 24 h. Likewise, E. coli O157:H7 was recovered from previously culture-negative starlings following 24-h cohabitation with calves shedding E. coli O157:H7.
European starlings may be a suitable reservoir and vector of E. coli O157:H7.
Given the duration and magnitude of E. coli O157:H7 shedding by European starlings, European starlings should be considered a public health hazard. Measures aimed at controlling environmental contamination with starling excrement, on the farm and in public venues, may decrease food-producing animal and human exposure to this pathogen.
欧洲椋鸟（Sturnus vulgaris）是美国的入侵物种，被认为是农业的有害害虫。本研究的目的是确定这些鸟类是否可能成为人类病原体大肠杆菌 O157:H7 的储主和/或传播媒介。
在生物安全隔离下，用不同剂量的大肠杆菌 O157:H7 对椋鸟进行挑战，以确定最小感染剂量、病原体脱落的程度和持续时间，以及病原体在椋鸟之间以及椋鸟和牛之间传播的可能性。鸟类在低剂量接种后会短暂排出大肠杆菌 O157:H7；然而，暴露于大于 10(5.5)个菌落形成单位（CFU）的剂量会导致 50%的鸟类在 3 天以上的时间内脱落。定植的鸟类通常会排出大于 10(3)CFU g(-1)的粪便，并且在接种后长达 14 天可检测到病原体。在 24 小时内，与培养阴性的鸟类或 12 周龄的小牛共同生活的大肠杆菌 O157:H7 阳性椋鸟会导致种内和种间病原体传播。同样，在与排出大肠杆菌 O157:H7 的小牛共同生活 24 小时后，先前培养阴性的椋鸟也可回收大肠杆菌 O157:H7。
欧洲椋鸟可能是大肠杆菌 O157:H7 的合适储主和传播媒介。
鉴于欧洲椋鸟排出大肠杆菌 O157:H7 的持续时间和程度，欧洲椋鸟应被视为公共卫生危害。旨在控制农场和公共场所的椋鸟粪便环境污染的措施，可能会减少食源性动物和人类接触这种病原体的机会。
