World Health Organization critical priority Escherichia coli clone ST648 in magnificent frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) of an uninhabited insular environment

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance is an ancient natural phenomenon increasingly pressured by anthropogenic activities. Escherichia coli has been used as markers of environmental contamination and human-related activity. Seabirds may be bioindicators of clinically relevant bacterial pathogens and their antimicrobial resistance genes, including extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase (ESBL) and/or plasmid-encoded AmpC (pAmpC), in anthropized and remote areas. We evaluated cloacal swabs of 20 wild magnificent frigatebirds (Fregata magnificens) of the Alcatrazes Archipelago, the biggest breeding colony of magnificent frigatebirds in the southern Atlantic and a natural protected area with no history of human occupation, located in the anthropized southeastern Brazilian coast. We characterized a highly virulent multidrug-resistant ST648 (O153:H9) pandemic clone, harboring blaCTX–M–2, blaCMY–2, qnrB, tetB, sul1, sul2, aadA1, aac(3)-VIa and mdfA, and virulence genes characteristic of avian pathogenic (APEC) (hlyF, iroN, iss, iutA, and ompT) and other extraintestinal E. coli (ExPEC) (chuA, kpsMII, and papC). To our knowledge, this is the first report of ST648 E. coli co-producing ESBL and pAmpC in wild birds inhabiting insular environments. We suggest this potentially zoonotic and pathogenic lineage was likely acquired through indirect anthropogenic contamination of the marine environment, ingestion of contaminated seafood, or by intra and/or interspecific contact. Our findings reinforce the role of wild birds as anthropization sentinels in insular environments and the importance of wildlife surveillance studies on pathogens of critical priority classified by the World Health Organization.

Molecular Characterization of Escherichia coli Causing Urinary Tract Infections Through Next-Generation Sequencing: A Comprehensive Analysis of Serotypes, Sequence Types, and Antimicrobial and Virulence Genes

“…In the current study, this ST was noted to carry bla CMY-42 , bla EC-19, bla OXA-1 , and bla CTX-M-15 . This ST was previously identified in birds, dogs, cats, and horses [ 40 , 41 ]. ST-648 strain with O1:H6 serotype was also identified in UTI-causing E .…”

ESBL-Producing Enterobacterales at the Human–Domestic Animal–Wildlife Interface: A One Health Approach to Antimicrobial Resistance in Piauí, Northeastern Brazil

“…All positive wild bird samples were resistant to at least two antimicrobial groups, both from the cephem class. In Brazil, few studies have assessed the presence of ESBLs in wild birds [49][50][51]59,60]. The ESBLs were detected in one non-migratory species, magnificent frigatebird (Fregata magnificens), and four migratory species, semipalmated plover (Charadrius semipalmatus), ruddy turnstone (Arenaria interpres), semipalmated sandpiper, and lesser yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes), all collected in the northeast of Brazil [49,50].…”

Survey of selected viral agents (herpesvirus, adenovirus and hepatitis E virus) in liver and lung samples of cetaceans, Brazil

“…Although we did not detect differences in herpesvirus prevalence according to the habitat, a significantly higher HV prevalence was found in the southeastern when compared to the northeastern region. The southeastern region is the most human-impacted area of Brazil, and presents the largest port in Latin America 58 . Additionally, most of the sampled franciscanas-the species with the higher herpesvirus prevalence-stranded or were bycaught in the southeastern region, which may explain this difference.…”