Salmonella Infection in Turtles: A Risk for Staff Involved in Wildlife Management?

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of non-typhoidal Salmonella in the turtles housed in a regional wildlife rescue centre of Apulia, in southern Italy, to assess the presence of Salmonella serovars that may represent a risk for operators involved in wildlife management. Sixty-nine tortoises, of which 36 were males and 33 were females, belonging to different species (Testudo hermanni hermanni, T. h. boettgeri, T. graeca, and T. marginata) were tested. All the turtles were adults (34 between 6 and 10 years of age and 35 more than 10 years of age). Salmonella was statistically detected more frequently in T. hermanni hermanni. No differences of the infection prevalence related to animal gender or age were found. Two different species, S. enterica and S. bongori, three S. enterica subspecies (enterica, diarizonae, salamae), and five different serovars (Hermannswerder, Abony, Ferruch, Richmond, Vancouver) within the group S. enterica subspecies enterica were identified. Two Salmonella types with different combinations were simultaneously found in specimens of T. h. hermanni. Most of the detected Salmonella types may represent a potential risk for operators in wildlife rescue centres. ABSTRACT: Monitoring of infections that may be transmitted to humans by animals in wildlife rescue centres is very important in order to protect the staff engaged in rehabilitation practices. Salmonella may be a natural inhabitant of the intestinal tract of turtles, rarely causing disease. This may represent a potential risk for humans, increasing the sanitary risk for operators in wildlife rescue centres. In this paper, the occurrence of non-typhoidal Salmonella among terrestrial turtles housed in a wildlife rescue centre in Southern Italy was investigated, in order to assess the serovars more frequently carried by turtles and identify those that may represent a risk for operators involved in wildlife management. Sixty-nine adult turtles (Testudo hermanni hermanni, T. h. boettgeri, T. graeca, and T. marginata) were tested. Detection and serotyping of Salmonella strains were performed according to ISO 6579-1 and ISO/TR 6579-3:2013, respectively. The distribution of Salmonella spp. was significantly higher in T. hermanni hermanni than in other species, independent of the age and gender of the animals. Two different Salmonella species, S. enterica and S. bongori, three S. enterica subspecies (enterica, diarizonae, salamae), and five different serovars (Hermannswerder, Abony, Ferruch, Richmond, Vancouver) within the group S. enterica subspecies enterica were identified. Different combinations of Salmonella types were simultaneously found in specimens of T. h. hermanni. Most of detected Salmonella types may represent a potential risk for public health. Adopting correct animal husbandry procedures and informing on potential sanitary risks may be useful for minimising the risk of transmission of Salmonella to workers involved in wildlife management.