Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, Ozzano dell'Emilia, 40064 Bologna, Italy.
Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, Ozzano dell'Emilia, 40064 Bologna, Italy.
Res Vet Sci. 2024 Nov;180:105424. doi: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2024.105424. Epub 2024 Sep 24.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an issue of global concern that includes human, animal, and environmental health. To tackle this phenomenon, a One Health approach is required through the involvement of all these interconnected elements. The environment poses challenges for investigation, but wildlife animals, not directly exposed to antibiotic treatments and interacting with their habitats, can serve as indicators of AMR contamination. Specifically, wild birds could play a significant role in dissemination of AMR, as they can acquire AMR bacteria from wildlife reservoirs and disperse them through environments. This study aims to assess the prevalence of AMR in commensal bacteria isolated from wild birds and their role as bioindicators of environmental AMR. A total of 73 birds belonging to various species were sampled in the Emilia-Romagna region with buccal, cloacal and feather samplings. The samples were cultured on selective media, colonies were identified using MALDI-TOF technology and antimicrobial susceptibility to different drugs was assessed using the Kirby-Bauer method. The birds' data were statistically evaluated in relation to AMR percentages. In total, 117 bacterial strains were isolated, belonging to 23 genera and 46 different bacterial species. The highest non-susceptibility percentages were observed for tetracycline (12.2 %) and enrofloxacin (8.6 %) considering all bacterial isolates, as well as for oxacillin (46.8 %), clindamycin (29.3 %) and rifampicin (20.8 %), among Gram-positive isolates. In the statistical analysis, a higher AMR percentage was correlated with Gram-positive isolates from birds belonging to rural/urban habitat (p = 0.01). Among Gram-positives, a higher oxacillin non-susceptibility percentage was found to be associated with isolates from birds sampled in province of Bologna (p = 0.007), a higher enrofloxacin non-susceptibility percentage revealed an association with rural/urban habitat (p = 0.02), while a higher non-susceptibility percentage towards rifampicin resulted associated with isolates from migratory birds (p = 0.031). In conclusion, this preliminary study suggests a potential role of wild birds as bioindicators for monitoring AMR contamination in the environment.
抗微生物药物耐药性（AMR）是一个全球性问题，涉及人类、动物和环境健康。为了解决这一现象，需要采取一种“同一健康”方法，让所有这些相互关联的要素都参与其中。环境的调查极具挑战性，但野生动物，由于没有直接接触抗生素治疗，并且与它们的栖息地相互作用，因此可以作为 AMR 污染的指示剂。具体来说，野生鸟类在 AMR 的传播中可能发挥重要作用，因为它们可以从野生动物库中获得 AMR 细菌，并通过环境将其传播。本研究旨在评估从野生鸟类分离的共生细菌中 AMR 的流行情况，以及它们作为环境 AMR 生物指示剂的作用。在艾米利亚-罗马涅地区，共对 73 只属于不同物种的鸟类进行了采样，采样部位包括口腔、泄殖腔和羽毛。使用选择性培养基对样本进行培养，使用 MALDI-TOF 技术对菌落进行鉴定，并使用 Kirby-Bauer 方法评估不同药物的抗菌药敏性。对鸟类数据与 AMR 百分比进行了统计学评估。总共分离出 117 株细菌，属于 23 个属和 46 个不同的细菌种。所有细菌分离株中，四环素（12.2%）和恩诺沙星（8.6%）的非敏感性百分比最高，而对于革兰氏阳性菌分离株，最高的非敏感性百分比分别为青霉素（46.8%）、克林霉素（29.3%）和利福平（20.8%）。在统计分析中，与来自农村/城市栖息地的鸟类的革兰氏阳性菌相比，发现 AMR 百分比更高（p=0.01）。在革兰氏阳性菌中，来自博洛尼亚省采样鸟类的分离株发现对青霉素的不敏感性百分比更高（p=0.007），来自农村/城市栖息地的分离株发现对恩诺沙星的不敏感性百分比更高（p=0.02），而对利福平的不敏感性百分比更高的分离株则与候鸟有关（p=0.031）。总之，这项初步研究表明，野生鸟类可能在监测环境中 AMR 污染方面发挥生物指示剂的作用。
