Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy.
Lett Appl Microbiol. 2020 May;70(5):349-355. doi: 10.1111/lam.13288. Epub 2020 Mar 10.
The honey bee has long been known to be a bioindicator of environmental pollution and the use of antimicrobials in the beekeeping industry is strictly regulated. For these reasons, this paper was aimed to evaluate for the first time the role of Apis mellifera as a possible indicator of environmental antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The study isolated and analysed the resistance patterns of Enterobacteriaceae from a pool of honey bee guts located in five different environmental sites (ES), where different antimicrobial selective pressures were hypothesized. In all, 48 isolates were considered for identification and underwent analyses of AMR to ampicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, cefazolin, ceftazidime, tetracycline, imipenem, enrofloxacin, amikacin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. In all, 12 isolates out of 48 (25%) showed resistance to at least one antimicrobial drug. There were no significant differences between the resistance rates observed in the ESs, even if the highest percentage of resistance was found in ES4. Resistances to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid resulted significantly higher than those detected towards the other antimicrobials. Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid is not commonly used in beekeeping but it is extensively used in animals and in humans, suggesting an environmental origin of this resistance and supporting the hypothesis that honey bees could be used as indicators of AMR spread in the environment. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: In this study, a possible role of honey bees as indicator of environmental antimicrobial resistance is hypothesized. Enterobacteriaceae were isolated from bees living in different environmental sites (ES) where different antimicrobial selective pressures were hypothesized. Even if no differences between the resistances in the five ES were observed, the resistance rates for amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, compared to other antimicrobials, were significantly higher. Since amoxicillin/clavulanic acid is not used in beekeeping but it is extensively used in animals and in humans, an environmental origin of this resistance is suggested that supports our hypothesis.
蜜蜂长期以来一直被认为是环境污染的生物指示剂，养蜂业中抗生素的使用受到严格监管。出于这些原因，本文首次旨在评估蜜蜂作为环境抗生素耐药性（AMR）的潜在指示物的作用。该研究从位于五个不同环境地点（ES）的一组蜜蜂肠道中分离并分析了肠杆菌科的耐药模式，假设在这些地点存在不同的抗生素选择压力。共有 48 株分离物被认为可用于鉴定，并对氨苄西林、阿莫西林/克拉维酸、头孢唑林、头孢他啶、四环素、亚胺培南、恩诺沙星、阿米卡星和复方磺胺甲噁唑进行了 AMR 分析。共有 48 株分离物中有 12 株（25%）对至少一种抗生素药物表现出耐药性。在 ES 之间观察到的耐药率没有显著差异，即使在 ES4 中发现的耐药率最高。对阿莫西林/克拉维酸的耐药率明显高于对其他抗生素的耐药率。阿莫西林/克拉维酸在养蜂中不常用，但在动物和人类中广泛使用，这表明这种耐药性具有环境来源，并支持蜜蜂可作为环境中 AMR 传播的指示物的假设。研究的意义和影响：在这项研究中，假设了蜜蜂作为环境抗生素耐药性指示物的可能作用。从生活在不同环境地点（ES）的蜜蜂中分离出肠杆菌科，假设在这些地点存在不同的抗生素选择压力。尽管在五个 ES 之间没有观察到耐药性的差异，但与其他抗生素相比，阿莫西林/克拉维酸的耐药率明显更高。由于阿莫西林/克拉维酸在养蜂中不使用，但在动物和人类中广泛使用，因此表明这种耐药性具有环境来源，支持我们的假设。
