The link between Dermanyssus gallinae (poultry red mites) and Salmonella in eggs was investigated by Afrim Hamidi of the Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine at the University of Prishtina in Kosovo and other researchers there and in Albania, Austria and the UK. Their paper has been published in the journal, Parasites & Vectors.

The authors explain that the poultry red mite is a serious ectoparasitic pest of poultry and potential pathogen vector, and that prevalence of the mites and that of Salmonella spp. within mites were investigated on mite-infested egg farms in Kosovo.

In total, 14 operating layer farms located in the southern Kosovo were assessed for red mite presence. Another two farms in this region were investigated six months after depopulation. Investigated flocks were all maintained in cages, a common housing system in Kosovo.

A total of eight farms were found to be infested with red mites (50 per cent) at varying levels, including the two depopulated farms.

The detection of Salmonella spp. from the mites was carried out using PCR. Of the eight layer farms infested with mites, Salmonella was present in mites on three farms (37.5 per cent).

This study confirms the high prevalence of red mites in layer flocks in Kosovo, concluded Hamidi and co-authors, and a link was demonstrated between this mite and the presence of Salmonella spp. on infested farms.

Reference

Hamidi A., K. Sherifi, S. Muji, B. Behluli, F. Latifi, A. Robaj, R. Postoli, C. Hess, M. Hess and O. Sparagano. 2011. Dermanyssus gallinae in layer farms in Kosovo: a high risk for salmonella prevalence. Parasites & Vectors, 4:136. doi:10.1186/1756-3305-4-136

Further Reading

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September 2011