" No danger to humans ." This is the verdict of the ASL of Cagliari after the nocturnal death of birds in Selargius, which occurred last week . Once the alarm has returned to the Municipality, it is time to clarify, so the Veterinary Service explained that «the presence of pathologies caused by Avian Influenza and Nile Fever has been excluded: the laboratory tests carried out by the IZS have identified the responsible microorganism: “ Salmonella enterica sub. Enterica ”, serotype “Hessarek”, which poses a limited risk of infection for humans».
The same strain, in the past, was the cause of similar phenomena both in Italy and abroad. S. Hessarek was first reported in 1953 in Iran. On that occasion the victims were crows. Then in 1977 the arrival in Europe, with the outbreaks mainly affecting starlings. In 2008 it appeared in central Italy and in 2009 in the Province of Modena; it was isolated in Lombardy in 2018 and 2020.
Only one recommendation : avoid contact with carcasses even if the microorganism is considered a typical starling pathogen, while it is very rare in mammals, including humans. In this case it is best to report its presence to the ASL veterinary service or to the local police of the municipalities.
(Unioneonline/vf)
