Assessment of Antibiotic Resistance Among Isolates of <i>Klebsiella</i> spp. and <i>Raoultella</i> spp. in Wildlife and Their Environment from Portugal: A Positive Epidemiologic Outcome
One of the significant challenges facing modern medicine is the rising rate of antibiotic resistance, which impacts public health, animal health, and environmental preservation. Evaluating antibiotic resistance in wildlife and their environments is crucial, as it offers essential insights into the d...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Pathogens |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/1/99 |
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| Summary: | One of the significant challenges facing modern medicine is the rising rate of antibiotic resistance, which impacts public health, animal health, and environmental preservation. Evaluating antibiotic resistance in wildlife and their environments is crucial, as it offers essential insights into the dynamics of resistance patterns and promotes strategies for monitoring, prevention, and intervention. <i>Klebsiella</i> and <i>Raoultella</i> genera isolates were recovered from fecal samples of wild animals and environmental samples using media without antibiotic supplementation. Antibiograms were performed for 15 antibiotics to determine the phenotypic resistance profile in these isolates. Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) production was tested by the double-disc synergy test, and one ESBL-producing <i>K. pneumoniae</i> isolate was screened by PCR and whole-genome sequencing. Biofilm production was analyzed using the microtiter plate method. A total of 23 <i>Klebsiella</i> spp. and 3 <i>Raoultella</i> spp. isolates were obtained from 312 fecal samples from wild animals, 9 <i>Klebsiella</i> spp. and 4 <i>Raoultella</i> spp. isolates were obtained from 18 river and stream water samples, and 4 <i>Klebsiella</i> spp. and 3 <i>Raoultella</i> spp. isolates from 48 soil samples. Regarding antibiotic resistance, only one isolate of <i>K. pneumoniae</i> from soil samples was an ESBL-producer and showed resistance to six antibiotics. This isolate harbored multiple β-lactams genes (<i>bla</i><sub>CTX-M-15</sub>, <i>bla</i><sub>TEM-1</sub>, <i>bla</i><sub>SHV-28</sub>, and <i>bla</i><sub>OXA-1</sub>), as well as genes of resistance to quinolones, sulfonamides, tetracycline, aminoglycosides, and chloramphenicol, and belonged to the lineage ST307. Most of the <i>Klebsiella</i> spp. and <i>Raoultella</i> spp. isolates were biofilm producers (except for one <i>Klebsiella</i> isolate), and 45.6% were weak biofilm producers, with the remaining being moderate to strong biofilm producers. We can conclude that antibiotic resistance is not widespread in these environment-associated isolates, which is a positive epidemiological outcome. However, identifying a single ESBL-<i>K. pneumoniae</i> isolate should serve as a warning of potential hotspots of resistance emergence. |
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| ISSN: | 2076-0817 |