Publicação

Characterization and “One Health” relevance of Escherichia coli isolated from wild mammals from two rescue and rehabilitation centers in Costa Rica

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Resumo:	ABSTRACT - Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has gained focus as one of the leading challenges of the 21st century. The scientific community has stated the importance of using a holistic “One Health” approach to tackle this potential global crisis, as the dissemination of AMR involves complex interactions between different domains. However, the role of wildlife within the environmental compartment is still understudied and poorly understood in the AMR context. This study aimed to characterize the antimicrobial resistance and virulence profiles of Escherichia coli isolates obtained from faecal samples of wild mammals admitted in two rescue and rehabilitation centers in Costa Rica. It also aimed to assess if human care could contribute to significant differences in the resistance and pathogenic profiles of wild isolates. From 77 faecal samples, a total of 67 E. coli isolates were identified, isolated from 57 animals of 17 different species. It was possible to classify 48% (n=32) of isolates as multidrug resistant (MDR). Only 5 isolates (7%) were susceptible to all of the antimicrobials tested, and MDR isolates were found in samples from 14 of the 17 analysed species. The highest levels of resistance were found towards cephalexin (58%, n=39), followed by ampicillin (43%, n=29) and oxytetracycline (22%, n=15). Isolates from rehabilitated animals or animals treated with antibiotics were found to have significantly higher multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) indexes, with rehabilitation also having a significant association with the presence of amultidrug resistance profiles. Additionally, the isolates presented relatively high virulence indexes, displaying the capacity to produce α-haemolysins (n=64, 96%), biofilms (n=51, 76%) and protease (n=21, 31%). However, a negative correlation was found between the MAR and Virulence indexes. These findings suggest that antimicrobial resistance is a widespread phenomenon in both free-ranging and rehabilitated wild mammals from Costa Rica. Rehabilitated wildlife may be carriers of bacterial isolates with increased AMR and MDR levels, with the potential to impact their ecosystem upon their release back to the wild. Additionally, as free-ranging wildlife is rarely directly exposed to antimicrobials, it is urgent to understand not only how they are acquiring resistant bacteria, but also if they are further disseminating them into the environment, potentially posing a significant threat to public health. This can only be achieved by a “One Health” approach that analyses AMR in wildlife as a consequence of the complex interaction between the human-animal-environment interface
Autores principais:	Fernandes, Rita Lima Nunes e Sousa
Assunto:	Antimicrobial resistance Wildlife Rehabilitation One Health Resistência a antimicrobianos Espécies selvagens Reabilitação Uma Só Saúde Costa Rica
Ano:	2023
País:	Portugal
Tipo de documento:	dissertação de mestrado
Tipo de acesso:	acesso aberto
Instituição associada:	Universidade de Lisboa
Idioma:	inglês
Origem:	Repositório da Universidade de Lisboa