Bacteriologic findings in ostrich (Struthio camelus) eggs from farms with reproductive failures

From January 2001 to December 2002, 543 ostrich eggs were submitted for bacteriologic investigation. The eggs were laid by 387 domesticated ostriches that suffered fertility disorders and that came from 44 farms located in different areas of Northern and Central Italy. Microbiologic investigations showed bacterial isolation in 105 (19.3%) of 543 eggs examined, with a high prevalence of enterobacteria from albumen and yolk. In only a few cases did bacterial isolation result from yolk or albumen alone. An antibiotic sensitivity test was conducted on isolates by the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. This is the first report regarding the microbiologic status of eggs from ostrich farms located in different Italian regions.