title: Detection of antibiotic resistant enterococci and Escherichia coli in free range Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus).
abstract: Thirty fecal samples from wild specimens of Iberian lynx were collected and analyzed for Enterococcus spp. (27 isolates) and Escherichia coli (18 isolates) recovery. The 45 isolates obtained were tested for antimicrobial resistance, molecular mechanisms of resistance, and presence of virulence genes. Among the enterococci, Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus hirae were the most prevalent species (11 isolates each), followed by Enterococcus faecalis (5 isolates). High percentages of resistance to tetracycline and erythromycin (33% and 30%, respectively) were detected among enterococcal isolates. The tet(M) and/or tet(L), erm(B), aac(6')-Ie-aph(2″)-Ia, ant(6)-Ia, or aph(3')-IIIa genes were detected among resistant enterococci. Virulence genes were detected in one E. faecalis isolate (cpd, cylB, and cylL) and one E. hirae isolate (cylL). High percentages of resistance were detected in E. coli isolates to tetracycline (33%), streptomycin (28%), nalidixic acid (28%), and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (SXT, 22%). Additionally, the blaTEM, tet(A), aadA, cmlA, and different combinations of sul genes were detected among most ampicillin, tetracycline, streptomycin, chloramphenicol and SXT-resistant isolates, respectively. Two isolates contained a class 1 integron with the gene cassette arrays dfrA1 + aadA1 and dfrA12 + aadA2. The E. coli isolates were ascribed to phylo-groups A (n=5); B1 (n=4); B2 (n=6), and D (n=3), with the virulence gene fimA present in all E. coli isolates. This study found resistance genes in wild specimens of Iberian lynx. Thus, it is important to notice that multiresistant bacteria have reached species as rare and completely non-synanthropic as the Iberian lynx. Furthermore, the susceptibility of this endangered species to bacterial infection may be affected by the presence of these virulence and resistance genes.
authors.affiliation: Center of Genomics and Biotechnology/Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Gilberto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Igrejas
authors.forename: Hajer
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Radhouani
authors.forename: Tiago
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pacheco
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alcaide
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zorrilla
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Poeta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D046008:Lynx / Q000382:microbiology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013030:Spain; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents