Prevalenza di Campylobacter spp. in rapaci diurni e notturni.

A total of 170 birds of prey admitted to two Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centers of Italy were examined. Birds were subdivided in diurnal (n=15) and nocturnal (n=7) species, sampled by cloacal swabs and examined for Campylobacter spp. by cultural and molecular methods. Campylobacter spp. was isolated in 43 out of the 170 (25.3%) birds of prey examined. Among these, 43/43 (100%) were identiied as C. jejuni and 10/43 (23.3%) were identiied as C. coli recovered from mixed infections. Diurnal birds of prey showed a signicantly higher prevalence value (P = 0.0006) for Campylobacter spp. than nocturnal birds of prey