Abstract
Simple SummaryThe presence of bacteria resistant to antibiotics, such as Staphylococcus aureus resistant to methicillin (MRSA), is becoming an increasing everyday concern for their implications for human and animal health. This is even more alarming when such bacteria are isolated in wild animals which, in principle, should not come into contact with antibiotics. This work studied 353 rabbits and 10 hares hunted in rabbit high-density areas. Of these, 41.3% carried S. aureus in some sampled locations, of which 63.3% were MRSA. These are surprising results given the unexpected high presence of MRSA in the studied animals. This finding is very worrying because these animals tend to enter the food chain with no veterinary control, which implies a risk for human health. Thus it is necessary to extend this study to other, less-populated areas with other animal species (ruminants, rabbit predators, hunting dogs, etc.) or even water sources to obtain further knowledge about the origin of bacterial resistances in nature.The appearance of methicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in several animal species (including rabbits) has set off alarms for their capacity to act as reservoirs for this bacterium. This is especially important in wild animals given its epidemiological implications. The objectives of this study were to identify and characterize S. aureus, specifically MRSA, strains in wild lagomorph high-density areas. Ten hares and 353 wild rabbits from 14 towns with a high rabbit density in the Valencian region (eastern Spanish coast) were sampled. Swabs from the nasal cavity, ears, perineum and lesions (when present) were taken for microbiological studies. The detection of different genes and antibiotic susceptibility studies were also carried out. Of all the animals, 41.3% were positive for S. aureus, of which 63.3% were MRSA. Ears were the anatomical location with more S. aureus and MRSA strains. The more frequently identified MLST type was ST1945 (97.1%, 136/140). The mecA gene was found only in one sample. The rest (n = 139) carried the mecC gene and were included in CC130, except one. Penicillin resistance was detected in 28 mec-negative isolates and, in one case, bacitracin resistance. mecA isolate presented resistance to enrofloxacin and tetracycline, and 10 mecC isolates also showed bacitracin resistance. No MRSA isolate was positive for genes chp, sea, tst and PVL. Two ST1945 isolates contained IEC type E (comprising genes scn and sak). mecA-isolate was positive for blaZ. Of the 28 MSSA strains showing resistance to penicillin, 22 carried the blaZ gene. These surprising results highlight the marked presence of MRSA strains in wild rabbits in high-density areas.
Highlights
Staphylococcus aureus is a widely distributed bacterium in nature and is often considered a frequent host of skin [1] and mucous, mainly in the nasal cavity [2]
Asymptomatic nasal carriers play a key role in the epidemiology and control of staphylococcal diseases, as the nasal cavity allows bacteria to persist over time and to multiply, which constitutes a source of infection [2]
S. aureus was isolated in 41.3% (150/363) of all the wild rabbits and hares included in this study in at least one of the sampled locations
Summary
Staphylococcus aureus is a widely distributed bacterium in nature and is often considered a frequent host of skin [1] and mucous, mainly in the nasal cavity [2]. Of humans are persistent nasal carriers of S. aureus, and around 30% are intermittent carriers [2]. S. aureus is a major pathogen in veterinary medicine that affects various animal species. In commercial rabbits, it has been signaled as one of the main causes of culling on farms [9,10]. It has been signaled as one of the main causes of culling on farms [9,10] In these cases, staphylococcal infections in rabbitries are caused by the international dissemination of the ST121 lineage of S. aureus, and other less frequent lineages like
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
