Enteric bacterial pathogens with zoonotic potential isolated from farm-raised deer

The raising of captive white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is a growing agricultural industry in Ohio as it is in several other areas of the United States and around the world. Pooled fecal samples were collected from 30 white-tailed deer confinement facilities. Samples were cultured for five enteric bacterial pathogens. Premise prevalence rates were as follows: Escherichia coli O157, 3.3%; Listeria monocytogenes, 3.3%; Salmonella enterica, 0%; Yersinia enterocolitica, 30%; and Clostridium difficile, 36.7%. The ail virulence gene could not be amplified from any of the Y. enterocolitica isolates recovered. Toxigenic strains of C. difficile polymerase chain reaction ribotype 078, an emerging C. difficile genotype of humans and food animals, were recovered from 4 of 11 (36.4%) C. difficile-positive deer farms. Venison from farm-raised deer might become contaminated with foodborne pathogens, deer farmers may have occupational exposure to these zoonotic agents, and farm-raised deer could be a reservoir from which the environment and other livestock may become contaminated with a number of potentially zoonotic bacteria.