Antimicrobial resistance genes and virulence gene encoding intimin in and isolated from wild rabbits () in Tunisia.

The spread of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in wildlife must be viewed as a major concern with serious implications for human and animal health. and enterococcal isolates were recovered from faecal samples of 49 wild rabbits on specific media and were characterised using biochemical and molecular tests. For all isolates, antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed, and resistance genes were detected by PCR. Molecular typing of isolates was carried out by pulsed-field gel-electrophoresis, and strains were also tested for the presence of intimin () gene characteristic of rabbit enteropathogenic A total of 34 and 36 enterococci [ (52.8%) and (47.2%)] were obtained. For , resistance to tetracycline (94%), streptomycin (62%), ciprofloxacin (47%), trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (35%) and chloramphenicol (6%) was observed. Resistance to third-generation cephalosporins was detected in one strain that carried the and genes. Class 1 integrons were detected in eight isolates. For enterococci, resistance to tetracycline (63.9%), erythromycin (30.5%), streptomycin (18.2%), and chloramphenicol (5.5%) was detected. The (M)+(L), (B) and ant (6)-Ia genes were identified in thirteen, seven and three resistant strains, respectively. Molecular typing showed a high diversity among our strains. Wild rabbits could represent a reservoir of , and enterococci carrying antimicrobial resistance genes and additionally carrying the gene of enteropathogenic pathotypes could both contaminate the environment. our finding seems to represent the first report of -positive in wild rabbits.