Detection of in Swiss wild birds sampled at a bird rehabilitation centre.

Background: Annually, 800-1500 wild birds are admitted to the rehabilitation centre of the Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Lucerne, Switzerland. The workers of the centre come in close contact with the avian patients and might therefore be exposed to zoonotic agents shed by these birds, such as .

Methods: In the present study, 91 choanal, 91 cloacal and 267 faecal swabs from 339 wild birds of 42 species were investigated using a stepwise diagnostic approach.

Results: were detected in 0.9 per cent (0.3-2.6 per cent) of birds (n=3), all of them members of the Columbidae family. The species of two of these birds (one Eurasian collared dove, one fancy pigeon) were identified as types B and E by PCR and outer membrane protein A genotyping.

Conclusion: The findings of the current study suggest that zoonotic transmission of is very unlikely for songbird and waterfowl species tested herein, while pigeons might pose a risk to workers at rehabilitation centres.