Gulls as Sources of Environmental Contamination by Colistin-resistant Bacteria

Scientific Reports
Alan B FranklinJeffrey C Chandler

Abstract

In 2015, the mcr-1 gene was discovered in Escherichia coli in domestic swine in China that conferred resistance to colistin, an antibiotic of last resort used in treating multi-drug resistant bacterial infections in humans. Since then, mcr-1 was found in other human and animal populations, including wild gulls. Because gulls could disseminate the mcr-1 gene, we conducted an experiment to assess whether gulls are readily colonized with mcr-1 positive E. coli, their shedding patterns, transmission among conspecifics, and environmental deposition. Shedding of mcr-1 E. coli by small gull flocks followed a lognormal curve and gulls shed one strain >101 log10 CFU/g in their feces for 16.4 days, which persisted in the environment for 29.3 days. Because gulls are mobile and can shed antimicrobial-resistant bacteria for extended periods, gulls may facilitate transmission of mcr-1 positive E. coli to humans and livestock through fecal contamination of water, public areas and agricultural operations.

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Citations

Jan 28, 2021·Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI·Tamara Pasqualina RussoLudovico Dipineto
Jan 2, 2021·The Science of the Total Environment·Christina A AhlstromAndrew M Ramey
Mar 6, 2021·Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance·Christina A AhlstromAndrew M Ramey
Mar 19, 2020·Journal of Microbiological Methods·Jeffrey C ChandlerSusan A Shriner
Jul 3, 2021·Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI·Josman D PalmeiraRita T Torres
Jun 29, 2021·EFSA Journal·UNKNOWN EFSA Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ)Luisa Peixe

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