Microorganisms Resistant to Antimicrobials in Wild Canarian Egyptian Vultures (Neophron percnopterus majorensis).

Alejandro Suárez-Pérez,José Antonio Donázar,Juan Alberto Corbera,Margarita González-Martín,Manuel Morales,Rubén Sebastián Rosales,María Teresa Tejedor-Junco

doi:10.3390/ani10060970

Abstract

Due to their predatory habits, raptors may serve as indicators of the presence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in the environment, but they also represent a public health risk for livestock and humans because they can act as reservoirs, sources and spreaders of these bacteria. Our objective was to determine the presence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in cloacal samples of Canarian Egyptian vultures (Neophron percnopterus majorensis), an endemic bird of prey. One hundred and forty-two cloacal swabs were obtained; Escherichia coli was isolated from 80.28% and Salmonella from 6.3% of these samples. Low levels of susceptibility to ampicillin, tetracycline and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole were found. About 20% of the isolates were resistant or presented intermediate susceptibility to fluoroquinolones. Surprisingly, we found isolates resistant to imipenem (6.96%). Isolates from chicks were more susceptible to antimicrobial drugs than adult and immature birds. About 50% of E. coli isolates were resistant to ampicillin, tetracycline and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, and about 20% to piperacillin, enrofloxacin and marbofloxacin. High percentages of isolates of Salmonella were found to be resistant to cephalexin (88%) and aminoglycosides (greater than 77%). Our results support the idea that raptors could act as reservoirs of Salmonella and antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, posing a risk not only to wildlife but also to livestock and the human population, thus reinforcing the need to minimize the exposure of wildlife to antimicrobial agent through human and livestock waste.

Highlights

The Canarian Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus majorensis) is an endemic bird-of-prey in the Canary Islands, known locally as the “guirre”
The results of this study identify antimicrobial resistance in Gram-negative bacteria isolated from cloacal samples of vultures on the Canary Island Archipelago (Spain)
In order to increase the available information on antibiotic resistance in wild animals, we have investigated this topic in isolates from fecal samples of Canarian vultures

Summary

Introduction

The Canarian Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus majorensis) is an endemic bird-of-prey in the Canary Islands, known locally as the “guirre”. Based on its morphological and genetic characteristics, this vulture is a subspecies of the Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) [1]. It is known to hunt small prey and feed on animal excrements. This source of anthropogenic food has a direct influence on the diet, behavior, distribution, density and health of the population, resulting in variability in terms of their demographics and population dynamics [2,3]. The Neophron percnopterus majorensis (“guirre” or “alimoche canario”) is included under the category of “In Danger of Extinction” in the Spanish Catalogue of Endangered

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