Bacterial pathogens carried by pet birds are considered a risk for birds, workers, and pet owners. This study investigated the potential of pet birds as reservoirs for virulent multidrug-resistant (MDR) zoonotic bacteria and assessed the genetic relatedness and diversity of bacterial isolates from pet birds and human contacts. Cloacal and tracheal swabs from 125 pet birds and 70 hand swabs from human contacts were collected. The results revealed that the pet birds were reservoirs for Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae (17.6 %, each), and Staphylococcus aureus (15.2 %). These isolates were also identified in their human contacts, at percentages of 14.3 %, 12.9 %, and 24.3 %, respectively. Virulence associated genes were identified from E. coli (stx2, stx2f, eaeA, and hlyA), K. pneumoniae (fimH, TraT, and magA), and S. aureus (PVL, hly, sea, sed genes) isolates. Multidrug-resistant E. coli, K. pneumoniae, and S. aureus were highly prevalent (81.3 %, 90.3 %, and 61.1 %, respectively). The genetic relationship between the E. coli and K. pneumoniae isolates from the pet birds and human contacts were determined by ERIC-PCR, while, RAPD-PCR was used for the S. aureus isolates. ERIC-PCR was found to have the highest discriminatory power. The clustering of the isolates from the pet birds and human contacts indicated potential transmission between the birds and workers. In conclusion, pet birds could act as potential reservoirs for zoonotic bacterial pathogens; thus, posing a risk to their human contacts.

宠物鸟携带的细菌病原体被认为是鸟类，工人和宠物主人的风险。这项研究调查了宠物鸟作为强毒多药耐药性（MDR）人畜共患病细菌的贮藏库的潜力，并评估了宠物鸟和人类接触的细菌分离物的遗传相关性和多样性。收集了来自125只宠物鸟的泄殖腔和气管拭子，以及来自人类接触的70只手拭子。结果表明，宠物鸟是大肠杆菌，肺炎克雷伯菌（分别占17.6％）和金黄色葡萄球菌（占15.2％）的宿主。在人类接触中也鉴定出这些分离株，分别为14.3％，12.9％和24.3％。毒力相关基因从大肠杆菌（stx 2，stx 2f，eae A和hly A），肺炎克雷伯菌（fim H，TraT和mag A）和金黄色葡萄球菌（PVL，hly，sea，sed基因）分离物。具有多重耐药性的大肠杆菌，肺炎克雷伯氏菌和金黄色葡萄球菌非常流行（分别为81.3％，90.3％和61.1％）。通过ERIC-PCR确定了来自宠物鸟的大肠杆菌和肺炎克雷伯菌分离株与人接触的遗传关系，而RAPD-PCR用于金黄色葡萄球菌分离物。发现ERIC-PCR具有最高的鉴别能力。来自宠物鸟和人类接触的分离株的聚集表明，鸟类和工人之间存在潜在的传播。总之，宠物鸟可以作为人畜共患细菌病原体的潜在储藏库。因此，对他们的人际交往构成了风险。