Food-borne zoonotic pathogens and antimicrobial resistance of indicator bacteria in urban wild boars in Barcelona, Spain

• Published in: Veterinary microbiology 2013-12, Vol.167 (3-4), p.686-689
• Main Authors: Navarro-Gonzalez, Nora, Casas-Díaz, Encarna, Porrero, Concepción M., Mateos, Ana, Domínguez, Lucas, Lavín, Santiago, Serrano, Emmanuel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Antibiotic; antibiotic resistance; Bacteria - drug effects; Bacteria - isolation & purification; Campylobacter; Campylobacter - drug effects; Campylobacter - isolation & purification; Campylobacter coli; Disease Reservoirs - microbiology; Drug Resistance, Bacterial - physiology; Enterococcus faecalis; Enterococcus faecalis - drug effects; Enterococcus faecalis - isolation & purification; Enterococcus faecium; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli - drug effects; Escherichia coli - isolation & purification; Escherichia coli O157; Feces - microbiology; indicator species; Linezolid; pathogens; public health; Salmonella; Salmonella enterica; Salmonella enterica - drug effects; Salmonella enterica - isolation & purification; Spain; Sus scrofa - microbiology; Synanthropization; wild boars; Wildlife; Zoonoses - microbiology
• ISSN: 0378-1135; 1873-2542
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2013.07.037

Wildlife is increasingly abundant in urban environments, but little is known about the zoonotic pathogens carried by these populations. Urban wild boars are of particular concern because this species is well-known as a pathogen reservoir, and thus, we studied selected zoonotic pathogens in urban wild boars in Barcelona, Spain (n=41). Salmonella enterica was found in 5.00% (95% CI 0.61–16.91) and Campylobacter coli in 4.88% (95% CI 0.6–16.53) of the animals. E. coli O157:H7 and C. jejuni were not found. Other thermophilic Campylobacter were moderately prevalent (19.51%, 95% CI 8.82–34.87). Additionally, we screened for antimicrobial resistance in indicator bacteria: resistance was most frequent in Enterococcus faecium (95% of the isolates were resistant to at least one antimicrobial agent), followed by Enterococcus faecalis (50%) and Escherichia coli (10%). For the first time resistance to linezolid in bacteria carried by wildlife is reported. These findings pose a concern for public health, and thus, further research is needed on wildlife in urban environments.