Pigeons and Geospatial Health.

This study reports the results of a survey aimed at investigating the spatial distribution of Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli O157 and Salmonella spp. from urban pigeons (Columba livia) of the coastal area of the Campania region (southern Italy). A geographical information system (GIS) of the Campania region was constructed utilizing as datalayers the administrative boundaries (at provincial and municipal levels) of the coastal area of the region. As a result, this territory was divided in 60 municipalities, the centroid of each municipality was identified and among all those present into the GIS database municipalities involved by waste crisis (n = 23) and municipalities without waste crisis (n = 37) were identified. Thirty pigeons closest to the centroid in each municipality were trapped and sampled by cloacal swabs for a total of 1,800 pigeons. Samples were analyzed by cultural, PCR and serotyping methods in order to isolate and to identify Campylobacter spp., E. coli O157 and Salmonella spp. Data regarding waste crisis (presence/absence) were analysed by univariate (Pearson’s chi-square test for independence) statistical analysis, using each bacteria’s (C. jejuni , E. coli O157 and Salmonella spp.) status (positive/negative) as dependent variables. The results of the present study showed a prevalence of 48.3% (870/1800), 7.8% (141/1800), and 0.9% (16/1800) for C. jejuni, E. coli O157, and S. Typhimurium, respectively. Pigeons sampled in the municipalities with the waste emergency showed a prevalence of infection significantly higher than that seen in pigeons sampled in the municipalities without the waste emergency. These findings clearly showed that urban pigeons in the coastal area of the Campania region may constitute an environmental reservoir of pathogens representing thus a source of infection for other birds, livestock and humans.