Epidemiology of Antimicrobial Resistance in Escherichia coli Isolates from Raccoons (Procyon lotor) and the Environment on Swine Farms and Conservation Areas in Southern Ontario.
Antimicrobial resistance is a global threat to livestock, human and environmental health. Although resistant bacteria have been detected in wildlife, their role in the epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance is not clear. Our objective was to investigate demographic, temporal and climatic factors associated with carriage of antimicrobial resistant Escherichia coli in raccoons and the environment. We collected samples from raccoon paws and feces and from soil, manure pit and dumpsters on five swine farms and five conservation areas in Ontario, Canada once every five weeks from May to November, 2011-2013 and tested them for E. coli and susceptibility to 15 antimicrobials. Of samples testing positive for E. coli, resistance to ≥ 1 antimicrobials was detected in 7.4% (77/1044; 95% CI, 5.9-9.1) of raccoon fecal samples, 6.3% (23/365; 95% CI, 4.0-9.3) of paw samples, 9.6% (121/1260; 8.0-11.4) of soil samples, 57.4% (31/54; 95% CI, 43.2-70.8) of manure pit samples, and 13.8% (4/29; 95% CI, 3.9-31.7) of dumpster samples. Using univariable logistic regression, there was no significant difference in the occurrence of resistant E. coli in raccoon feces on conservation areas versus farms; however, E. coli isolates resistant to ≥ 1 antimicrobials were significantly less likely to be detected from raccoon paw samples on swine farms than conservation areas and significantly more likely to be detected in soil samples from swine farms than conservation areas. Resistant phenotypes and genotypes that were absent from the swine farm environment were detected in raccoons from conservation areas, suggesting that conservation areas and swine farms may have different exposures to resistant bacteria. However, the similar resistance patterns and genes in E. coli from raccoon fecal and environmental samples from the same location types suggest that resistant bacteria may be exchanged between raccoons and their environment.
Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Kristin J
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6186-5599
KJ
Bondo
Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
David L
DL
Pearl
Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.|Centre for Foodborne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of Canada, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.|Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.
Nicol
N
Janecko
Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Patrick
P
Boerlin
Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.|Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.|Centre for Foodborne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of Canada, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Richard J
RJ
Reid-Smith
Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.|Centre for Foodborne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of Canada, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.|Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Jane
J
Parmley
Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.|Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Claire M
CM
Jardine
D000818:Animals; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000662:veterinary; D000072480:Farms; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005552:Forelimb / Q000382:microbiology; D005838:Genotype; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000382:microbiology; D008372:Manure / Q000382:microbiology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D011821:Raccoons / Q000382:microbiology*; D012621:Seasons; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D013552:Swine / Q000382:microbiology*; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000382:microbiology
D008372:Manure