Birds in Europe: Their conservation status

https://repositorio.unesp.br/bitstream/handle/11449/42589/WOS000287054500042.pdf?sequence=1

Degradation of the antibiotic amoxicillin by photo-Fenton process - Chemical and toxicological assessment

Proteus spp. bacteria were first described in 1885 by Gustav Hauser, who had revealed their feature of intensive swarming growth. Currently, the genus is divided into Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris, Proteus penneri, Proteus hauseri, and three unnamed genomospecies 4, 5, and 6 and consists of 80 O-antigenic serogroups. The bacteria are known to be human opportunistic pathogens, isolated from urine, wounds, and other clinical sources. It is postulated that intestines are a reservoir of these proteolytic organisms. Many wild and domestic animals may be hosts of Proteus spp. bacteria, which are commonly known to play a role of parasites or commensals. However, interesting examples of their symbiotic relationships with higher organisms have also been described. Proteus spp. bacteria present in soil or water habitats are often regarded as indicators of fecal pollution, posing a threat of poisoning when the contaminated water or seafood is consumed. The health risk may also be connected with drug-resistant strains sourcing from intestines. Positive aspects of the bacteria presence in water and soil are connected with exceptional features displayed by autochthonic Proteus spp. strains detected in these environments. These rods acquire various metabolic abilities allowing their adaptation to different environmental conditions, such as high concentrations of heavy metals or toxic substances, which may be exploited as sources of energy and nutrition by the bacteria. The Proteus spp. abilities to tolerate or utilize polluting compounds as well as promote plant growth provide a possibility of employing these microorganisms in bioremediation and environmental protection.

/pdf/significance-and-roles-of-proteus-spp-bacteria-in-natural-2sehfd11ij.pdf

Significance and Roles of Proteus spp. Bacteria in Natural Environments

Summary
The spread of antimicrobial resistance is of major concern for human health and leads to growing economic costs. While it is increasingly hypothesized that wildlife could play an important role in antimicrobial-resistant bacteria dynamics, empirical data remain scarce.
The present work builds on a systematic review of the available data in order to highlight the main information we have and to suggest research pathways that should be followed if we aim to fill the gaps in our current knowledge.
To achieve this goal, we address four questions: (i) Which resistant bacteria are the most frequently observed in wildlife? (ii) How are resistant bacteria exchanged between wildlife and the other hosts involved? (iii) In which habitats are those resistant bacteria found? (iv) Are resistances associated with certain ecological traits of the host?
Synthesis and applications. We highlight the strong link existing between the impact of human activities on natural habitats and the carriage of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria by wildlife. Furthermore, we underline that omnivorous, anthropophilic and carnivorous species are at high risk of being carriers and potentially spreaders of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. Identifying among those groups key sentinel species may be of particular interest to implement ecosystem contamination surveillance. Finally, we discuss possible exchange routes for antimicrobial-resistant bacteria between humans and wildlife. Considering that water is of major importance in those exchanges, a critical way to control antimicrobial resistance spread may be to limit aquatic environment contamination by antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and antibiotics.

https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/1365-2664.12596

Antimicrobial resistance in wildlife

Recent studies of natural environments have revealed vast genetic reservoirs of antibiotic resistance (AR) genes. Soil bacteria and human pathogens share AR genes, and AR genes have been discovered in a variety of habitats. However, there is little knowledge about the presence and diversity of AR genes in marine environments and which organisms host AR genes. To address this, we identified the diversity of genes conferring resistance to ampicillin, tetracycline, nitrofurantoin, and sulfadimethoxine in diverse marine environments using functional metagenomics (the cloning and screening of random DNA fragments). Marine environments were host to a diversity of AR-conferring genes. Antibiotic-resistant clones were found at all sites, with 28% of the genes identified as known AR genes (encoding beta-lactamases, bicyclomycin resistance pumps, etc.). However, the majority of AR genes were not previously classified as such but had products similar to proteins such as transport pumps, oxidoreductases, and hydrolases. Furthermore, 44% of the genes conferring antibiotic resistance were found in abundant marine taxa (e.g., Pelagibacter, Prochlorococcus, and Vibrio). Therefore, we uncovered a previously unknown diversity of genes that conferred an AR phenotype among marine environments, which makes the ocean a global reservoir of both clinically relevant and potentially novel AR genes.

/pdf/the-ocean-as-a-global-reservoir-of-antibiotic-resistance-rind4gk1j1.pdf

The Ocean as a Global Reservoir of Antibiotic Resistance Genes

Antibiotic Resistance in Salmonella Isolated from Tegus (Tupinambis spp.)

Introduction It was estimated that in 2009 between 5.9 and 9.8 million live reptiles were imported into the EU (RSPCA 2011), reflecting a similar previously trend in the USA (Franke & Telecky 2001). These animals are known to shed Salmonella frequently (Bauwens et al 2006; Hidalgo-Vila et al 2007; Pedersen et al 2009). Reptiles have been increasing in popularity as pets, resulting in an increase in the number of reptile-associated salmonellosis in USA (CDC 2008) and European countries (Corrente et al 2006; Bertrand et al 2008; Eurosurveillance 2008). Salmonella can be transmitted from reptiles to humans both by direct contact or indirect contact with surfaces contaminated with reptile feces. Even if less frequent than foodborne related salmonellosis, outbreaks of reptile-associated salmonellosis in humans have been widely reported, in particular affecting infants, children and immunocompromised subjects (Nowinski & Albert 2000; Nagano et al 2006; Hames et al 2008; Böhme et al 2009; Harris et al 2009; Van Meervenne et al 2009), but also healthy persons (Harris et al 2010). The reptiles imported by the EU Member States were reported to derive from various sources, as captive-bred or taken from the wild (Auliya 2003). Many species of Chelonia, among which Testudo graeca Linnaeus, 1758 so-called commonly spur-thighed tortoise, are now frequently kept as companion animals (CAWC 2003). Testudo graeca is an endangered species with a broad distribution range. It can be found in northern Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Asia (van der Kuyl et al 2005). It is nowadays regularly offered as captive bred, although specimens from the Abstract. The prevalence of Salmonella carriage and distribution of serotypes in spur-thighed tortoises, Testudo graeca Linnaeus, 1758 illegally introduced in Italy was studied to assess the risk of disease exposure for humans once these specimens were traded as pets. Antibiotic susceptibility patterns were also analyzed to estimate the emergence of antibiotic-resistant Salmonella strains. One hundred forty-six cloacal swabs of spur-thighed tortoises were tested by standard bacteriological methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests on Salmonella strains isolated were also performed. Ninety-one Salmonella spp. strains were isolated in 74 of 146 turtles examined and a total of 20 different serotypes were found. Out of the 91 isolates, 67 were grouped in the Salmonella enterica subspecies I. Salmonella isolates were susceptible to most of the antibiotics tested. Resistance was most commonly observed against tetracycline (57.1%) followed by ampicillin (33.0%), streptomycin (13.2%) and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (11.0%). Our findings confirm that wild-caught spur-thighed tortoises can carry different serotypes of Salmonella. Accordingly, strict preventive sanitation measures should be adopted when handling reptiles.

Serotypes and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of Salmonella spp. isolates from spur-thighed tortoise, Testudo graeca illegally introduced in Italy.

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolated from livestock and from humans with a professional exposure to animals in farms in Sicily.

European stone curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus) is a Palearctic species with high conservation interest. This species nests on the ground, in open canopies with sparse herbaceous vegetation, and is typically found next to areas of intense agro-pastoral activity, where it feeds on invertebrates present in ruminant droppings. This study aimed to investigate the enteric, ocular, and oral bacterial flora of stone curlew and determine the possible occurrence of pathogenic bacteria. Furthermore, the study aimed to determine how epidemiological factors shape the bacterial flora. Fecal samples, cloacal, conjunctival and oral swabs from 61individuals of B. oedicnemus were taken in three different agro-pastoral areas of the southeastern Sicily. The presence of commensal and potentially pathogenic bacteria in the samples was evaluated by standard methods. The bacteriological analysis revealed the presence of 215 Gram – and 92 Gram + strains belonging to 23 different genera (12 families). Potentially pathogenic species including Salmonella enterica, Shigella dysenteriae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus spp. have been identified. To our knowledge, this is the first study to determine the presence of potentially pathogenic bacteria in stone curlew living in a semi-natural habitat. Some of the detected bacterial species are potentially pathogenic not only for wild species but also for domestic animals and humans. Altogether, our results suggest that stone curlew from agro-pastoral areas are being colonized with commensal or potentially pathogenic bacteria from agricultural or human sources; the prevalence of bacteria is probably influenced by environmental and alimentary factors. B. oedicnemus can, therefore, be considered a good indicator of environmental contamination by bacteria deriving from human activities, which are potentially threatening stone curlew and other wild birds species‎.

Physiological and potentially pathogenic microbial flora in stone curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus), southeastern Sicily

Feline Calicivirus (FCV) has been recognised as major oral and respiratory pathogen of cats. The high correlation among the field viruses and FCV-F9 serotype has represented the immunological bases for the employ of FCV-F9 serotype as a vaccine for calicivirosis in cats. The aim of this paper was to evaluate, by in vitro neutralization assays, the antigenic correlation among the vaccine F9 and FCV field strains isolated in Sicily (Italy) from cats showing clinical forms referable to calicivirus infection. The results confirm the low correlation between FCV-F9 strain and calicivirus strains spread in the feline population.

Vittorio Fisichella

Papers

Antibiotic Resistance in Salmonella Isolated from Tegus (Tupinambis spp.)

Serotypes and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of Salmonella spp. isolates from spur-thighed tortoise, Testudo graeca illegally introduced in Italy.

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolated from livestock and from humans with a professional exposure to animals in farms in Sicily.

Physiological and potentially pathogenic microbial flora in stone curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus), southeastern Sicily

Feline calicivirus strains isolated in Italy.