Carriage of antibiotic resistant bacteria in endangered and declining Australian pinniped pups

Abstract

The rapid emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major concern for wildlife and ecosystem health globally. Genetic determinants of AMR have become indicators of anthropogenic pollution due to their greater association with humans and rarer presence in environments less affected by humans. The objective of this study was to determine the distribution and frequency of the class 1 integron, a genetic determinant of AMR, in both the faecal microbiome and in Escherichia coli isolated from neonates of three pinniped species. Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea), Australian fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) and long-nosed fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri) pups from eight breeding colonies along the Southern Australian coast were sampled between 2016–2019. DNA from faecal samples (n = 309) and from E. coli (n = 795) isolated from 884 faecal samples were analysed for class 1 integrons using PCRs targeting the conserved integrase gene (intI) and the gene cassette array. Class 1 integrons were detected in A. p. doriferus and N. cinerea pups sampled at seven of the eight breeding colonies investigated in 4.85% of faecal samples (n = 15) and 4.52% of E. coli isolates (n = 36). Integrons were not detected in any A. forsteri samples. DNA sequencing of the class 1 integron gene cassette array identified diverse genes conferring resistance to four antibiotic classes. The relationship between class 1 integron carriage and the concentration of five trace elements and heavy metals was also investigated, finding no significant association. The results of this study add to the growing evidence of the extent to which antimicrobial resistant bacteria are polluting the marine environment. As AMR determinants are frequently associated with bacterial pathogens, their occurrence suggests that these pinniped species are vulnerable to potential health risks. The implications for individual and population health as a consequence of AMR carriage is a critical component of ongoing health investigations.

Different Swine Production Systems Can Shape Slurry Resistome at Mechanism and Class Levels Based on Swine Manure Evaluation

“…The installation of sanitary cesspools near the breeding units, the different sources of water for the animals, and even the health status of the caretakers are important factors in this regard (Regina et al, 2021;Yuan et al, 2022). In this way, urbanization demonstrates to be a critical phenomenon, whether for a controlled environment for animal husbandry such as farms or wildlife (Modesto et al, 2021;Fulham et al, 2022). Dealing with outbreaks within farms led producers to think about new infection control strategies.…”

Does ivermectin treatment for endemic hookworm infection alter the gut microbiota of endangered Australian sea lion pups?

“…Swabs were then subsampled into Sterile FecalSwab™ tubes (Copan, Brescia, Italy) and stored at 4°C for up to 2 months, followed by storage at -20°C for up to 2 months, and then stored at -80°C. Blood samples were collected from the brachial vein as previously described (10, 66). Up to 1mL of blood was transferred into a tube containing ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) (Sarstedt, Nümbrecht, Germany) for haematological analysis.…”

“…Faecal DNA was extracted from FecalSwab TM media (200µL) using the ISOLATE II Fecal DNA Kit (Bioline, Sydney, Australia) following the manufacturer’s protocol. Faecal DNA was tested for PCR competency by a 16S PCR using methods described by Fulham et al (2020) (10) using forward primer 27F and reverse primer 1492R (70). Amplicons were resolved using gel electrophoresis (2% agarose w/v) with SYBR safe gel stain (Invitrogen, Sydney, Australia) and conducted at 100V for 30 min with product size approximated using HyperLadder II 50bp DNA marker (Bioline, Sydney, Australia).…”

“…It is currently listed as endangered on both the IUCN Red List (4) and the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC) (5) with approximately 10,000 free-ranging individuals remaining (6), making it one of the rarest pinniped species in the world. The reasons for this decline are multifactorial, with fisheries interactions (7), entanglement in marine debris (8,9), anthropogenic pollution (antibiotic resistant and human-associated bacteria, chemicals, and heavy metal contaminants) (10,11,Taylor et al, in review) and disease (13,14) identified as contributing factors.…”

Integrons, plasmids, and resistance genes in equine faecal bacteria

“…pigs, poultry and cattle (22,23) and have highlighted problems with intensive factory farming practices which lead to the spread of C1Is and ARGs into the food chain (24) or the environment (25). It is also clear that companion animals and wild animals can carry C1Is and ARGs, with previous studies highlighting their presence in dogs (26), cats (27), rabbits (28), horses (29), bats (30), seals (31), fish (32) and birds (33), among others. The overall picture is grim, and the global dissemination of C1Is and other 'xenogenetic DNAs' (34) into most ecosystems and animal species has led to these being considered as a new kind of persistent pollutant (35,36).…”