Extended-Spectrum β-Lactam Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli in Wild European Hedgehogs (Erinaceus europeus) Living in Populated Areas

Abstract

Wildlife has been suggested to be a good sentinel of environmental health because of its close interaction with human populations, domestic animals, and natural ecosystems. The alarming emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in human and veterinary medicine has activated/triggered the awareness of monitoring the levels of AMR pollution in wildlife. European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) are common wild species habiting urban areas in Europe. However, there are few studies conducted in hedgehogs as reservoirs of AMR bacteria or genes. The aim of this study was to assess the occurrence and distribution of ESBL, AmpC, and carbapenem-resistant enterobacteria and AMR genes in wild European hedgehogs in Catalonia, a densely populated region of NE Spain. A total of 115 hedgehogs admitted at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Torreferrussa were studied. To our knowledge, this is the first description of β-lactam resistant enterobacteria in wild hedgehogs. Interestingly, 36.8% (42/114) of the animals were detected as carriers of β-lactamase/carbapenemase resistance genes. Klebsiella spp. (59.6%), and specifically K. pneumoniae (84.6%), were the bacteria with the highest proportion of resistance genes, followed by E. coli (34.6%) and C. freundii (5.8 %). The most frequently detected genetic variants were blaCTX-M-15 (19.3%), blaSHV-28 (10.5%), blaCMY-1 (9.7%), blaCMY-2 (8.8%), and blaOXA-48 (1.7%). In addition, 52% (27/52) of the isolates presented a multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotype and 31% had an extended drug resistance (XDR) profile. No clustering of animals with AMR genes within the study region was shown in the spatial analysis, nor differences in the proportion of positive animals among regions, were detected. The results of this study suggest that wild European hedgehogs could be good sentinels of AMR environmental pollution, especially in areas with a high human population density, because they either inhabit and/or feed in an anthropogenic environment. In conclusion, it is crucial to raise awareness of the strong interconnection between habitats and compartments, and therefore this implies that AMR issues must be tackled under the One Health approach.

Prevalence of Multidrug-Resistant CTX-M Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli From Different Bovine Faeces in China

“…However, it has been documented that antibiotics found in feces are highly ecotoxic and can disrupt the balance of the ecosystem and inhibit biological treatment systems, thus perpetuating their presence in the environment as persistent and non-degradable pollution ( 13 ). Animals, humans and the environment are linked with each other in a shared ecology, and enough evidence is available regarding the existence of ESBL-producing bacteria in different ecological niches ( 14 , 15 ). In this study, to explore the level of antibiotic-resistant E. coli , especially the production of CTX-M, and to provide useful information about the epidemiology of ESBLs, fecal samples from bovines (yaks, dairy cows, and beef cattle) from different areas were investigated.…”

Phenotypic and Genetic Characterization of Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolates from Wild Animals in Central Italy

“…In Italy, few data are available on K. pneumoniae occurrence in wild animals and its characterization of AMR, and the data concerns wild birds only [ 42 , 43 ]. The available studies in Europe concern wild boars from Algeria [ 44 ], Chinese hares [ 45 ], hedgehogs in Spain [ 46 ], and European mouflons in Austria and Germany [ 47 ].…”

Antimicrobial resistance and associated risk factors in Escherichia coli isolated from Peruvian dogs: A focus on extended-spectrum β-lactamases and colistin

“…Because of its ubiquity and high facility for acquiring AMR genes, it is a good marker of antibiotic resistance [6][7][8]. In recent years, the emergence and rapid dissemination of E. coli producers of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL) [9,10], carbapenemases [11,12], and even the harboring of genes of resistance to last-resort antibiotics such as colistin [13] have become a paramount concern for animal health.…”