Further monitoring for Salmonella species and Escherichia coli O86 at a bird table in south-west Scotland.

Pooled faeces collected from a garden bird table were screened for Salmonella species and Escherichia coli O86, two recognised causes of garden bird mortality. Dead birds found at the site were also screened for these organisms, and bird numbers and meteorological data were recorded. In the first year of the study, 48.5 per cent of the samples were positive for Salmonella Typhimurium DT56 (variant), decreasing to 38.9 per cent in the second year and 12.8 per cent in the third year. E. coli O86 was not recovered from any of the 288 samples of pooled faeces tested. S. Typhimurium DT56 (variant) was recovered from the carcases of eight birds found dead at the site, and E. coli O86 was isolated from three carcases. The degree of contamination of the bird table with S. Typhimurium DT56 (variant) was positively correlated with the number of house sparrows observed in the garden, but not with the number of blackbirds, chaffinches or greenfinches.

Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serotype Typhimurium and Escherichia coli O86 in wild birds at two garden sites in south-west Scotland.

Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serotype Typhimurium and Escherchia coli O86:K61:NM are two bacteria that can cause outbreaks of mortality in garden birds visiting bird tables and other feeding stations. Two sites in south-west Scotland were monitored for the two organisms for 12 months. At site A, large numbers of birds fed throughout the year, and at site B smaller numbers of birds fed only in the winter months. Samples of composite faeces were collected from the feeding stations and screened for the organisms, and any dead birds were also screened. S Typhimurium definitive type (DT) 56 (variant) was found to be endemic at site A, and was recovered from 48 per cent of samples of composite faeces collected from the bird table, from 42 per cent of composite faeces from underneath a hanging feeder, and from 33 per cent of composite faeces from below a roost used by house sparrows; the organism was also isolated from the carcases of six wild birds found dead at the site. In contrast, S Typhimurium (DT41) was recovered only once at site B, from 2 per cent of the composite faeces from below a hanging feeder, and no dead birds were recovered from the site. E coli O86 was not recovered from the faeces collected from either site, but was isolated from a bird that died from trauma at site A.