Garcia Bruna B R, Paiva Guilherme E, Silva Matheus U B, Furlan João Pedro Rueda, Fuga Bruna, Lemos Paula R, Fontenelle Jose H, Lincopan Nilton, Sellera Fábio P
School of Veterinary Medicine, Metropolitan University of Santos, Santos, Brazil.
Department of Microbiology, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Vet Res Commun. 2025 Jul 1;49(4):241. doi: 10.1007/s11259-025-10811-y.
The dissemination of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterbacterales, once largely confined to healthcare settings, has become a growing One Health concern as these pathogens threaten diverse environments, including wildlife habitats. This study describes high-risk clones of ESBL-producing Enterobacterales in wildlife undergoing rehabilitation at a zoological park in Southeast Brazil. Among 49 wild mammals and birds sampled, two Escherichia coli strains, from a rusty-barred owl and a black vulture, tested positive for ESBL production and exhibited multidrug resistance profiles. Genomic characterization identified these strains as belonging to globally recognized clones of the sequence type (ST) ST10 and ST155, which are associated with widespread antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and severe infections in human and veterinary medicine. The strains harbored resistance genes for several antimicrobials and virulence factors typically found in extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli. ESBL-encoding genes were related to mobile genetic elements, with the bla gene embedded in a multidrug resistance region flanked by Tn3 and IS26 elements and the bla gene located on a complex class 1 integron. Accordingly, this study spotlights the potential role of wildlife rehabilitation centers as reservoirs for critical AMR, emphasizing the importance of monitoring such facilities for the presence of priority pathogens. Therefore, this study reinforces the necessity for microbiological surveillance in wildlife rehabilitation settings to prevent the spread of AMR into natural ecosystems and calls for the development of standardized guidelines for the reintroduction of animals to ensure that colonized wildlife do not contribute to the dissemination of resistant pathogens in the wild.
产超广谱β-内酰胺酶（ESBL）的肠杆菌科细菌，曾经主要局限于医疗机构传播，如今已成为一个日益严重的“同一健康”问题，因为这些病原体威胁着包括野生动物栖息地在内的多种环境。本研究描述了巴西东南部一家动物园中正在接受康复治疗的野生动物体内产ESBL肠杆菌科细菌的高风险克隆株。在对49只野生哺乳动物和鸟类进行采样后，从一只锈斑林鸮和一只黑兀鹫身上分离出的两株大肠杆菌，检测出产ESBL呈阳性，并表现出多重耐药性特征。基因组特征分析确定这些菌株属于全球公认的序列类型（ST）ST10和ST155克隆株，它们与人类和兽医学中广泛存在的抗菌药物耐药性（AMR）以及严重感染有关。这些菌株携带了多种抗菌药物的耐药基因以及通常在肠外致病性大肠杆菌中发现的毒力因子。ESBL编码基因与移动遗传元件相关，bla基因嵌入由Tn3和IS26元件侧翼的多重耐药区域，而bla基因位于一个复杂的1类整合子上。因此，本研究突出了野生动物康复中心作为关键AMR储存库的潜在作用，强调了监测此类设施中优先病原体存在情况的重要性。所以，本研究强化了在野生动物康复环境中进行微生物监测以防止AMR传播到自然生态系统的必要性，并呼吁制定动物放归的标准化指南，以确保已定植的野生动物不会助长耐药病原体在野外的传播。
