Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most important global health concerns; therefore, the identification of AMR reservoirs and vectors is essential. Attention should be paid to the recognition of potential hazards associated with wildlife as this field still seems to be incompletely explored. In this context, the role of free-living birds as AMR carriers is noteworthy. Therefore, we applied methods used in AMR monitoring, supplemented by colistin resistance screening, to investigate the AMR status of Escherichia coli from free-living birds coming from natural habitats and rescue centers. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of strains enabled to determine resistance mechanisms and investigate their epidemiological relationships and virulence potential. As far as we know, this study is one of the few that applied WGS of that number (n = 71) of strains coming from a wild avian reservoir. The primary concerns arising from our study relate to resistance and its determinants toward antimicrobial classes of the highest priority for the treatment of critical infections in people, e.g., cephalosporins, quinolones, polymyxins, and aminoglycosides, as well as fosfomycin. Among the numerous determinants, blaCTX–M–15, blaCMY–2, blaSHV–12, blaTEM–1B, qnrS1, qnrB19, mcr-1, fosA7, aac(3)-IIa, ant(3”)-Ia, and aph(6)-Id and chromosomal gyrA, parC, and parE mutations were identified. Fifty-two sequence types (STs) noted among 71 E. coli included the global lineages ST131, ST10, and ST224 as well as the three novel STs 11104, 11105, and 11194. Numerous virulence factors were noted with the prevailing terC, gad, ompT, iss, traT, lpfA, and sitA. Single E. coli was Shiga toxin-producing. Our study shows that the clonal spread of E. coli lineages of public and animal health relevance is a serious avian-associated hazard.
Highlights
The scale of bacterial resistance to antimicrobials is one of the most important global health concerns
The main concerns arising from our study relate to resistance toward antimicrobial classes of the highest priority in human medicine, e.g., cephalosporins, quinolones, polymyxins, and aminoglycosides (World Health Organization [WHO], 2019; European Medicines Agency, 2020), as well as fosfomycin, assigned to substances that should be limited for human prescription in the EU (European Medicines Agency, 2020)
It is worth emphasizing that we found CTXM-15, extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) of public health concern, in E. coli from a deceased mute swan
Summary
The scale of bacterial resistance to antimicrobials is one of the most important global health concerns. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an ancient and natural phenomenon, the widespread use of antimicrobials in human and veterinary medicine and in agriculture contributes to its pandemic dissemination (D’Costa et al, 2011; Martínez, 2012; World Health Organization [WHO], 2014). Heavy metals (e.g., copper) used in antifungal plant protection agents should be deliberated (Borkow and Gabbay, 2005; Hobman and Crossman, 2015). All those pollutants contribute to the selection and spread of AMR in the environment affecting wildlife
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