Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecium isolated from pigeon droppings (Columba livia) in the external environment close to hospitals

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: Henrique Vieira Gartz de Vasconcellos, Kerollyn Fernandes Bernardes Silva, Horácio Montenegro, Camila Botelho Miguel, Polyana Tizioto, Ferdinando Agostinho, Marcelo Costa Araújo, Rosineide Marques Ribas, Marcos Vinícius da Silva, Siomar de Castro Soares, Virmondes Rodrigues Júnior, Deivid William da Fonseca Batistão, Carlo José Freire Oliveira, Wellington Francisco Rodrigues
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2022
• Subjects: Staphylococcus aureus; Enterococcus faecium; Columbidae; Feces; Drug Resistance; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0353-2021; https://doaj.org/article/da3cb4c9486244fb882394cf6c2e9bd2

ABSTRACT Background: Domestic pigeons carry pathogens in their droppings, posing a potential public health problem. Methods: The phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial resistances of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecium in the feces of urban pigeons near hospitals with intensive care units were measured. Results: Twenty-nine samples showed Enterococcus growth, whereas one was positive for S. aureus. The S. aureus isolate was sensitive to the antibiotics tested via antibiogram, however resistance genes were identified. E. faecium isolates showed phenotypic resistance to gentamicin, erythromycin, and ciprofloxacin. Conclusions: Antimicrobial profiles harmful to health were demonstrated in bacterial pathogens isolated from the external environment of hospitals.