Cross-sectional studyindependent cross-checkabstract checked I-CHK-134 standard review
Egyptian pigeons carry resistant Salmonella
Salmonella enterica isolated from pigeon (Columba livia) in Egypt.
Overview
Osman KM et al.. Foodborne Pathog Dis 2013 · PMID 23531124 · DOI 10.1089/fpd.2012.1347
Pigeons in Cairo carried multidrug-resistant Salmonella, including S. Typhimurium.
Does the study support the specific claim? No · Methodological quality: low
Plain-language summary
Study explained simply
- What did the researchers want to find out?
Do pigeons in Cairo harbour Salmonella relevant to public health?
- How was the study done?
Microbiological survey of pigeon faecal samples
- How many people, animals or samples were studied?
not stated in abstract
- What was actually found?
Isolated serotypes: S. Typhimurium, S. Braenderup and S. Lomita; all strains multiresistant.
- How large was the observed effect?
Isolated serotypes: S. Typhimurium, S. Braenderup and S. Lomita; all strains multiresistant.
- What do the results mean in everyday life?
Pigeon is not automatically safer than chicken.
- What are the study's limitations?
Prevalence and n not in abstract; Faecal samples, not meat
- What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?
Contradicts the safety logic of the pigeon exception.
- Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?
Not EU data.
- What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?
No prevalence or meat data.
Scientific in-depth review
1. Full reference
- Authors
- Osman KM et al.
- Journal
- Foodborne Pathog Dis
- Year
- 2013
- Identifier
- PMID 23531124 DOI 10.1089/fpd.2012.1347
- Verification
- verified – PubMed efetch 2026-10-26; Crossref 2026-10-26
- Retracted
- no
- Corrections
- none
- Extent checked
- abstract only
- Conflicts of interest and funding
not stated in abstract
2. Research question
Do pigeons in Cairo harbour Salmonella relevant to public health?
3. Study design and population
- Study design
- Cross-sectional study – Microbiological survey of pigeon faecal samples
- Population
Pigeons in Cairo
- Country
Egypt
- Period
not stated
- Sample size
not stated in abstract
- Inclusion and exclusion criteria
as described in the abstract
4. Methods and endpoints
- Exposure / intervention
Pigeons
- Comparator
not applicable
- Endpoints
Salmonella serotypes; antimicrobial susceptibility
- Statistical methods
as reported in the abstract
5. Actual results
- Results
Isolated serotypes: S. Typhimurium, S. Braenderup and S. Lomita; all strains multiresistant.
- Absolute risks
not reported
- Authors' conclusion
Pigeons can harbour Salmonella of public-health relevance.
6. Strengths
- Egyptian setting
7. Weaknesses
- Prevalence and n not in abstract
- Faecal samples, not meat
8. Risk of bias
- Orienting tool
- none applicable
- Type of assessment
- simplified assessment (abstract only)
- Full formal assessment
- no
- Overall risk of bias
- some concerns
- Rationale
Descriptive.
9. Assessment of the statistical interpretation
Qualitative finding only.
10. Relevance to the specific claim
Shows that the 'allowed' bird (pigeon) carries the same pathogens as chicken in Egypt.
11. Independent contrary findings
12. Transferability to Germany and Europe
13. Overall methodological judgement
Pigeons in Cairo carried multidrug-resistant Salmonella, including S. Typhimurium.
| Multidimensional assessment | |
|---|---|
| Authenticity of the source | verified |
| Methodological quality | low |
| Risk of bias | some concerns |
| Precision of results | not applicable |
| Directness | indirect |
| Reproducibility | partly replicated |
| Consistency with the overall evidence | consistent |
| Regional transferability | low |
| Adequacy of the interpretation (by the archive) | not applicable |