Antibiotic-Resistant Escherichia coli in Migratory Birds Inhabiting Remote Alaska

Abstract

We explored the abundance of antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli among migratory birds at remote sites in Alaska and used a comparative approach to speculate on plausible explanations for differences in detection among species. At a remote island site, we detected antibiotic-resistant E. coli phenotypes in samples collected from glaucous-winged gulls (Larus glaucescens), a species often associated with foraging at landfills, but not in samples collected from black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla), a more pelagic gull that typically inhabits remote areas year-round. We did not find evidence for antibiotic-resistant E. coli among 347 samples collected primarily from waterfowl at a second remote site in western Alaska. Our results provide evidence that glaucous-winged gulls may be more likely to be infected with antibiotic-resistant E. coli at remote breeding sites as compared to sympatric black-legged kittiwakes. This could be a function of the tendency of glaucous-winged gulls to forage at landfills where antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections may be acquired and subsequently dispersed. The low overall detection of antibiotic-resistant E. coli in migratory birds sampled at remote sites in Alaska is consistent with the premise that anthropogenic inputs into the local environment or the relative lack thereof influences the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria among birds inhabiting the area.

Antimicrobial Resistance in Wildlife in Guadeloupe (French West Indies): Distribution of a Single blaCTX–M–1/IncI1/ST3 Plasmid Among Humans and Wild Animals

“…The overall prevalence of AR E. coli in Guadeloupe was low (5.4%), reflecting the low level of resistance observed in E. coli from community-acquired urinary tract infections ( Guyomard-Rabenirina et al, 2016 ) and waste water treatment plants ( Guyomard-Rabenirina et al, 2017 ), although the method used may be a partial explanation. We targeted resistance to three antibiotics (ampicillin, cefotaxime, and ciprofloxacin) belonging to two major classes of antibiotics (beta-lactams and fluoroquinolones) used in clinical practice, which may have resulted in underestimation of the level of resistance to other antibiotics such as tetracycline and colistin, which is frequently reported in E. coli isolated from wildlife ( Shobrak and Abo-Amer, 2014 ; Ramey et al, 2018 ; Vogt et al, 2018 ). The frequency of AR bacteria in wildlife is affected by various factors, which are not yet fully understood, although the anthropogenic impact in areas where they live and feed is a key factor ( Bonnedahl and Järhult, 2014 ; Arnold et al, 2016 ; Wang et al, 2017 ; Dolejska and Papagiannitsis, 2018 ).…”

Satellite tracking of gulls and genomic characterization of faecal bacteria reveals environmentally mediated acquisition and dispersal of antimicrobial‐resistant Escherichia coli on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

“…Gulls (Larus spp. ), in particular, may be appropriate for such research as numerous species forage on human refuse (Burger, 1981;Weiser & Powell, 2010), including during migratory periods (Hatch, Gill, & Mulcahy, 2011), and this behaviour appears to increase their propensity to harbour bacteria exhibiting AMR (Atterby et al, 2016;Ramey et al, 2018). Given that birds have the potential to transport bacteria and AMR genes through flight (Bonnedahl & Järhult, 2014), and that improved tracking devices have made it possible to better understand bird movements and habitat use (Tomkiewicz, Fuller, Kie, & Bates, 2010) relative to the acquisition and dissemination of infectious agents Taff et al, 2016;van Toor, Avril, Wu, Holan, & Waldenström, 2018), we sought to investigate relationships among landscape use and movement patterns of gulls and the prevalence and genetic diversity of E. coli exhibiting AMR (AMR E. coli) detected in gull faeces.…”

Antibiogram Profiles and Risk Factors for Multidrug Resistance of Salmonella enterica Recovered from Village Chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus Linnaeus) and Other Environmental Sources in the Central and Southern Peninsular Malaysia

“…The practice of free-range farming, allowing birds to roam freely, may result in their exposure to natural environmental hazards, such as untreated water and soil, which have been well documented to harbor drug-resistant foodborne pathogens [ 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 ]. Recent reports suggest that wild birds and gulls, creatures not exposed to the selective pressure of antibiotic use, have also been found to harbor MDR organisms in light of their continuous exposure to the natural environment [ 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 ]. It is also possible that feeding village chicken table scraps, which may contain resistant bacteria or materials, has additionally contributed to our observation of the phenomena.…”