Environmental Research Institute, University of the Highland and Islands, Castle St, Thurso, KW14 7JD, United Kingdom.
Sydney School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Camden, NSW, 2570, Australia; Moredun Research Institute, Pentland Science Park, Penicuik, EH26 0PZ, United Kingdom.
Environ Pollut. 2022 Dec 1;314:120129. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120129. Epub 2022 Sep 13.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a recognised threat to global health. Obtaining data on the prevalence of AMR in environmental bacteria is key to understanding drivers and routes of transmission. Here, 325 Shiga toxin negative deer faecal samples-gathered from across the Scottish mainland-were screened for the presence of AMR Escherichia coli and investigated for potential risk factors associated with AMR occurrence. E. coli with resistance to antimicrobials of clinical health concern, including carbapenems and 3rd generation cephalosporins, were targeted. Ninety-nine percent of samples yielded E. coli, and the prevalence of resistant E. coli at the level of faecal samples was 21.8% (n = 71) for tetracycline, 6.5% (n = 21) for cefpodoxime, 0.3% for ciprofloxacin (n = 1), with no recorded resistance to meropenem. Potential risk factors for tetracycline and cefpodoxime resistance were investigated. The presence of broadleaved woodlands was significantly associated with both AMR phenotypes, which may relate to land use within or around such woodlands. Associated risk factors varied across resistance phenotype and deer species, with proximity or density of horses an indicator of significantly decreased and increased risk, respectively, or tetracycline and cefpodoxime resistance in E. coli from roe deer, but not from red deer. Distance from wastewater treatment plants was a significant risk factor for tetracycline resistance in E. coli from red deer but not from roe deer. Data indicated that AMR E. coli can occur in wild deer populations that are not directly exposed to the selective pressure exerted by antimicrobial treatment. Overall, resistance to critically important antimicrobials was found to be low in the studied population, suggesting no immediate cause for concern regarding human health. Utilising existing culling frameworks, wild deer in Scotland could function well as a sentinel species for the surveillance of AMR in the Scottish environment.
抗微生物药物耐药性（AMR）是对全球健康的公认威胁。获得环境细菌中 AMR 流行的数据对于了解驱动因素和传播途径至关重要。在这里，从苏格兰大陆各地采集了 325 份不含志贺毒素的鹿粪便样本，对这些样本进行了 AMR 大肠杆菌的筛查，并调查了与 AMR 发生相关的潜在危险因素。针对具有临床健康关注的抗菌药物（包括碳青霉烯类和第三代头孢菌素）耐药的大肠杆菌进行了研究。99%的样本中都检测到了大肠杆菌，粪便样本中耐药大肠杆菌的流行率为 21.8%（n=71）对四环素，6.5%（n=21）对头孢泊肟，0.3%（n=1）对环丙沙星，未记录到对美罗培南的耐药性。对四环素和头孢泊肟耐药的潜在危险因素进行了调查。阔叶林的存在与两种 AMR 表型均显著相关，这可能与阔叶林内或周围的土地利用有关。与耐药表型和鹿种相关的危险因素各不相同，马的接近度或密度分别是大肠杆菌对四环素和头孢泊肟耐药的降低和增加风险的指标，而马与马鹿和赤鹿的大肠杆菌耐药性无关。距离污水处理厂的距离是赤鹿大肠杆菌对四环素耐药的一个显著危险因素，但对马鹿的大肠杆菌耐药性没有影响。数据表明，未直接接触抗菌药物治疗选择压力的野生鹿群中可能会出现 AMR 大肠杆菌。总的来说，在所研究的人群中，对至关重要的抗菌药物的耐药性较低，这表明人类健康没有立即引起关注的原因。利用现有的捕杀框架，苏格兰的野生鹿可以很好地作为苏格兰环境中 AMR 监测的哨兵物种。
