Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-xfwgj Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-20T08:22:07.286Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The incidence and significance of salmonella carriage by gulls (Larus spp.) in Scotland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 October 2009

R. W. A. Girdwood
Affiliation:
Scottish Salmonella Reference Laboratory, Stobhill General Hospital, Glasgow, G 21
C. R. Fricker
Affiliation:
Scottish Salmonella Reference Laboratory, Stobhill General Hospital, Glasgow, G 21
D. Munro
Affiliation:
Scottish Salmonella Reference Laboratory, Stobhill General Hospital, Glasgow, G 21
C. B. Shedden
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G 12
P. Monaghan
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G 12
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Salmonella carriage in 5888 gulls sampled by cloacal lavage was found to be 7·8%. Marked geographical and seasonal differences in carriage rates were found. These differences appeared to be associated with human population density and seasonal differences in the reported incidence of human salmoncllosis. The maximum duration of salmonella excretion in 17 laboratory-maintained gulls was 4 days and the number of salmonellae excreted was never more than 170 per gram of faeces. On the basis of this study it is suggested that gulls are not important factors in the actiology of human salmonellosis.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1985

References

REFERENCES

Benton, C., Khan, F., Monaghan, P., Richards, W. N. & Shedden, C. B. (1983). The contamination of a major water supply by gulls (Larusspp.). A study of tho problem and remedial action taken. Water Research 17, 789798.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brown, D. D., Ross, J. G. & Smith, A. F. G. (1976). Experimental infections of sheep with Salmonella typhimurium. Research in Veterinary Science 21, 335340.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brown, D. D., Ross, J. G. & Smith, A. F. G. (1977). Experimental infection of sheep with Salmonella infantis. British Veterinary Journal 133, 435441.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Butterfield, J., Coulson, J. C., Kearsey, S. V., Monaohan, P., McCoy, J. H. & Spain, G. E. (1983). The herring gull Larus argentatus as a carrier of salmonella. Journal of Hygiene 91, 429436.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chabrzyk, G. & Coulson, J. C. (1976). Survival and recruitment in the herring gull Larus argentatus. Journal of Animal Ecology 45, 187203.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Communicable Diseases (Scotland) Unit (1981). Salmonella Infections in wild birds and animals in Scotland, 1978–1980. Weekly Report 14 (2); viix.Google Scholar
Crewe, S. (1967). Worm eggs found in gull droppings. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology 61, 358359.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dennis, S. M. & Armstrong, J. M. (1965). Ovino abortion due to Salmonella typhimuruim in Western Australia. Australian Veterinary Journal 41, 178181.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Durrant, D. S. & Beatson, S. H. (1981). Salmonella isolated from domestic meat waste. Journal of Hygiene 86, 259264.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Edel, W., Van Schothorst, M. & Kampelmacher, E. H. (1976). Epidemiological studies on salmonella in a certain area (‘Walcheren Project’). I. The presence of salmonella in man, pigs, insects, seagulls and in foods and effluents. Zentralblall für Bakleriologie, Parasilenkunde, Infeklionskrankheiten und Hygiene (Abt. I. Originale A.) 325, 476484.Google Scholar
Edel, W., Van Schothorst, M., Van Leusden, F. M. & Kampelmacher, E. H. (1978). Epidemiological studies on salmonella in a certain area (‘Walcheren project’). III. Tho presence of salmonella in man, insects, seagulls and in foods, chopping block scrapings from the butchers’ shops, effluent from sewage treatment plants and drains of butchers’ shops. Zentralblalt für Bakteriologie, Parasilenkunde, Infeklionskrankheiten und Hygiene (Abt. I. Originale A.) 342, 468480.Google Scholar
Faddoul, G. P., Fellows, G. W. & Baird, J. (1966). A survey on the incidence of salmonellae in wild birds. Avian Diseases 10, 8994.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fenlon, D. R. (1981). Seagulls (Larus sp.) as vectors of salmonellae: an investigation into the range of serotypes and numbers of salmonellae in gull faeces. Journal of Hygiene 86, 195202.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fenlon, D. R. (1983). A comparison of salmonella serotypes found in the faeces of gulls feeding at a sewage treatment works with serotypes present in the sludge. Journal of Hygiene 91, 4752.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fennel, H., James, D. B. & Morris, J. (1974). Pollution of a water storage reservoir by roosting gulls. Water Treatment and Examination 23, 195202.Google Scholar
Fricker, C. R. (1983). A novel procedure for the detection of enteric pathogens in wild birds. Journal of Applied Bacteriology 55, viiiix.Google Scholar
Fricker, C. R. (1984 a). A comparison of methods for the isolation of salmonellae from sewage sludge. Zentralblalt fur Bakteriologio und Hygiene (I. Abt. Originale B) 179, 170178.Google ScholarPubMed
Fricker, C. R. (1984 b). A comparison of isolation procedures for salmonellas from polluted water using two forms of Rappaport's medium. Journal of Applied Bacteriology 56, 305309.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fricker, C. R. (1984 c). A note on salmonella excretion in the black headed gull (Larus ridibundus) feeding at sewage treatment works. Journal of Applied Bacteriology 56, 499502.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fricker, C. R. & Girdwood, R. W. A. (1984). The effect of the use of different selective media on the abiity to recover salmonellae from seagull faeces. Journal of Hygiene 93, 3542.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fricker, C. R., Girdwood, R. W. A. & Munro, D. (1983 a). A comparison of procedures for the isolation of campylobacters from seagull faeces. Journal of Hygiene 91, 445450.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fricker, C. R., Girdwood, R. W. A. & Munro, D. (1983 b). A comparison of enrichment media for the isolation of salmonellae from seagull cloacal swabs. Journal of Hygiene 91, 5358.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hall, G. A. & Jones, P. W. (1978). A study of the suspectibility of cattle to oral infection by salmonellas contained in sewage sludge. Journal of Hygiene 80, 409414.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harvey, R. W. S. & Price, T. H. (1982). Salmonella isolation and identification techniques alternative to the standard methods. In Isolation and Identification Methods for Food Poisoning Organisms. Society for Applied Bacteriology Technical Series, no. 17 (ed. Roberts, Corry and Skinner, ), pp. 5172. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Harvey, R. W. S., Price, T. H. & Xirouchaki, E. (1979). Comparison of selenite F, Muller-Kauffmann tetrathionate and Rappaport's medium for the isolation of salmonellas from sewage-polluted water using a pro-enrichment technique. Journal of Hygiene 83, 451460.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnston, W. S., Maclennan, G. K. & Hopkins, G. F. (1979). The possible involvement of seagulls (Larus sp.) in the transmission of salmonella in dairy cattle. Veterinary Record 105, 526527.Google ScholarPubMed
Johnston, W. S., Munro, D., Reilly, W. J. & Sharp, J. C. M. (1981). An unusual sequel to imported Salmonella Zanzibar. Journal of Hygiene 87, 525528.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Josland, S. W. (1953). Observations on the aetiology of bovine and ovine salmonellosis in New Zealand. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 1, 131136.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Monaghan, P. (1983). Problems of gulls as pests. British Trust for Ornithology: Jubilce Volume, pp. 232237. United Kingdom: Poyser.Google Scholar
Monaghan, P., Shedden, C. B., Ensor, K., Fricker, C. R. & Girdwood, R. W. A. (1985). Salmonella carriage by herring gulls (Larus argenlatus) in the Clyde area of Scotland in relation to their feeding ecology. Journal of Applied Ecology (In the Press).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Plant, C. W. (1978). Salmonellosis in wild birds feeding at sewage treatment works. Journal of Hygiene 81, 4348.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sharma, V. D., Sethi, M. S. & Singh, S. P. (1980). The occurrence of salmonella in free-flying avifauna: isolation and antibiogram. International Journal of Zoonoses 7, 5457.Google ScholarPubMed
Shirlaw, J. F. & Iyer, S. G. (1937). A note on a variety of Salmonella enteritidis isolated from pidgeons. Indian Journal of Veterinary Science 7, 231.Google Scholar
Skirrow, M. B. & Benjamin, J. (1980). ‘1001’ Campylobacters: cultural characteristics of intestinal campylobactcrs from man and animals. Journal of Hygiene 85, 472–442.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Spence, J. B. & Westwood, A. (1978). Salmonella agona infection in sheep. Veterinary record 102, 332336.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tannock, G. W., McInnes, H. M., Shirley, G. & Smith, J. M. B. (1971). Salmonella in sheep wintered outdoors on straw and sawdust pads. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 19, 2932.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vassiliadis, P. (1983). The Rappaport-Vassiliadis (RV) enrichment medium for the isolation of salmonellaa: an overview. Journal of Applied Bacteriology 54, 6976.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vassiliadis, P., Trichopoulos, D., Kalandidi, A. & Xirouchaki, E. (1978). Isolation of salmonellno from sewago with a new procedure of enrichment. Journal of Applied Bacteriology 44, 233239.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Watson, D. C. & Walker, A. P. (1978). A modification of brilliant green agar for improved isolation of salmonellae. Journal of Applied Bacteriology 45, 195204.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williams, B. M., Richards, P. W. & Lewis, J. (1970). Salmonella infection in the herring gull. Veterinary Record 98, 51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williams, B. M., Richards, D. W., Stephens, D. P. & Griffiths, T. (1977). The transmission of Salmonella livingslone to cattle by the herring gull (Larus argentatus). Veterinary Record 100, 45.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wilson, J. E. & MacDonald, J. W. (1907). Salmonella infection in wild birds. British Veterinary Journal 123, 212219.CrossRefGoogle Scholar