High level of intrinsic phenotypic antimicrobial resistance in enterobacteria from terrestrial wildlife in Gabonese national parks

PLoS One. 2021 Oct 12;16(10):e0257994. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257994. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Data on the prevalence of antibiotic resistance in Enterobacteriaceae in African wildlife are still relatively limited. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of phenotypic intrinsic and acquired antimicrobial resistance of enterobacteria from several species of terrestrial wild mammals in national parks of Gabon. Colony culture and isolation were done using MacConkey agar. Isolates were identified using the VITEK 2 and MALDI-TOF methods. Antibiotic susceptibility was analysed and interpreted according to the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing guidelines. The preliminary test for ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae was performed by replicating enterobacterial colonies on MacConkey agar supplemented with 2 mg/L cefotaxime (MCA+CTX). Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) production was confirmed with the double-disc synergy test (DDST). The inhibition zone diameters were read with SirScan. Among the 130 bacterial colonies isolated from 125 fecal samples, 90 enterobacterial isolates were identified. Escherichia coli (61%) was the most prevalent, followed by Enterobacter cloacae (8%), Proteus mirabilis (8%), Klebsiella variicola (7%), Klebsiella aerogenes (7%), Klebsiella oxytoca (4%), Citrobacter freundii (3%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (1%) and Serratia marcescens (1%). Acquired resistance was carried by E. coli (11% of all E. coli isolates) and E. cloacae (3% of all E. cloacae) isolates, while intrinsic resistance was detected in all the other resistant isolates (n = 31); K. variicola, K. oxytoca, K. pneumoniae, E. cloacae, K. aerogenes, S. marcescens and P. mirabilis). Our data show that most strains isolated in protected areas in Gabon are wild type isolates and carry intrinsic resistance rather than acquired resistance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Wild / microbiology*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Enterobacter cloacae / drug effects*
  • Enterobacter cloacae / enzymology
  • Enterobacter cloacae / isolation & purification
  • Enterobacteriaceae Infections / diagnosis*
  • Enterobacteriaceae Infections / epidemiology
  • Enterobacteriaceae Infections / microbiology
  • Enterobacteriaceae Infections / veterinary*
  • Escherichia coli / drug effects*
  • Escherichia coli / enzymology
  • Escherichia coli / isolation & purification
  • Feces / microbiology
  • Gabon / epidemiology
  • Gorilla gorilla / microbiology
  • Mandrillus / microbiology
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Parks, Recreational*
  • Phenotype*
  • Prevalence
  • beta-Lactam Resistance / genetics*
  • beta-Lactamases / metabolism
  • beta-Lactams / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • beta-Lactams
  • beta-Lactamases

Grants and funding

Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie and the Gabon-Oregon Center funded this project. Samples collection in national parks was funded by the Gabon-Oregon Center. The bacterial analysis and antibiotic susceptibility were done thanks to a grant from the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (grant numbers G950/BACGL 2015/AO/PFD) awarded to RO.