Isolation of Pathogenic Yersiniae from Wild Animals in Bulgaria

• Published in: Journal of veterinary medicine. Series B Vol. 48; no. 3; pp. 203 - 209
• Main Authors: Nikolova, S., Tzvetkov, Y., Najdenski, H., Vesselinova, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford UK Blackwell Science Ltd 01.04.2001
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Wild; Bulgaria; Bulgaria - epidemiology; Canis aureus; Carnivora; Felis silvestris; Lepus europeus; Lutra lutra; Martes foina; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; Mustela putorius; Ovis musimon; Rabbits; Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; Sus scrofa scrofa; Swine; Vulpes vulpes; Yersinia - classification; Yersinia - isolation & purification; Yersinia enterocolitica; Yersinia enterocolitica - classification; Yersinia enterocolitica - isolation & purification; Yersinia Infections - epidemiology; Yersinia Infections - microbiology; Yersinia Infections - veterinary; Yersinia pseudotuberculosis; Yersinia pseudotuberculosis - classification; Yersinia pseudotuberculosis - isolation & purification; Bulgaria
• ISSN: 0931-1793; 1439-0450
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1439-0450.2001.00448.x

Pathogenic Yersinia strains were isolated between December 1998 and April 1999 from 37 wild animals: rabbit (Lepus europeus), boar (Sus scrofa scrofa), asiatic jackal (Canis aureus), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), mouflon (Ovis musimon), european river otter (Lutra lutra), beech marten (Martes foina), polecat (Mustela putorius) and wild cat (Felis silvestris). It was established that among the wild animals Y. enterocolitica strains of serotype 0:3 predominated, accompanied by Y. pseudotuberculosis strains of serotype 0:3. In one sample from asiatic jackal and one sample from rabbit, Y. enterocolitica serotype 0:8 was isolated. Yersinia enterocolitica and Y. pseudotuberculosis strains were isolated from tonsils and tongues as well as from the viscera – lung, liver, heart, spleen, kidney and lymph nodes, mainly in young animals (1–2 years of age). The results showed that wild animals are a possible natural reservoir for pathogenic Y. enterocolitica and Y. pseudotuberculosis and are included in the epidemiological chain of yersinioses.