Campylobacter in wintering great tits Parus major in Poland

Exploring the Prevalence and Resistance of Campylobacter in Urban Bird Populations

The increasing urbanization of ecosystems has had a significant impact on wildlife over the last few years. Species that find an unlimited supply of food and shelter in urban areas have thrived under human presence. Wild birds have been identified as amplifying hosts and reservoirs of Campylobacter worldwide, but the information about its transmission and epidemiology is still limited. This study assessed the prevalence of Campylobacter in 137 urban birds admitted at a wildlife rescue center, with 18.8% of individuals showing positive. C. jejuni was the most frequent species (82.6%), followed by C. coli and C. lari (4.3% each). The order Passeriformes (33.3%) showed significant higher presence of Campylobacter when compared to orders Columbiformes (0%) and Ciconiiformes (17.6%), as well as in samples collected during the summer season (31.9%), from omnivorous species (36.8%) and young individuals (26.8%). Globally, Campylobacter displayed a remarkable resistance to ciprofloxacin (70.6%), tetracycline (64.7%), and nalidixic acid (52.9%). In contrast, resistance to streptomycin was low (5.8%), and all the isolates showed susceptibility to erythromycin and gentamycin. The results underline the importance of urban birds as reservoirs of thermophilic antimicrobial-resistant Campylobacter and contribute to enhancing the knowledge of its distribution in urban and peri-urban ecosystems.

Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in human stool samples: antibiotic resistance profiles, putative virulence determinants and molecular characterization of the isolates

Campylobacters, especially C. jejuni and C. coli, have become one of the leading causes of acute gastroenteritis in humans worldwide in recent years. We aimed to investigate the presence, antimicrobial resistance, putative virulence genes, and molecular characterization of C. jejuni and C. coli recovered from human acute gastroenteritis cases in the study. In the study, suspected Campylobacter spp. isolates were obtained in 43 (5%) feces samples collected from a total of 850 patients who applied to the Erciyes University Medical Faculty acute clinic between March 2019 and February 2020. As a result of the phenotypic tests, these isolates were determined to be Campylobacter spp. According to the multiplex PCR, 33 of 43 Campylobacter spp. isolates were identified as C. jejuni (76%) and ten isolates were as C. coli (24%). In the disc diffusion test, the highest resistance rate was found in the trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (90.1%) and ciprofloxacin (90.1%), and the lowest rate was found in the amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (9.3%). In Campylobacter spp. isolates, the virulence genes cdtA, virB11, cdtB, cadF, iam, ceu, and flaA were found to be positive at rates of 26 (60%), 28 (65.6%), 13 (30%), 4 (9%), 27 (62%), 17 (39%), and 7 (16%), respectively. However, the cdtC gene was not detected in any of the isolates. The study searched tetO gene to examine the genetic aspect of tetracycline resistance, which was found in all Campylobacter spp. isolates. In the PCR reactions to investigate A2074C and A2075G mutations of macrolide resistance, it was determined as 7 (16%) and 21 (48%) of the isolates. To detect quinolone resistance, the rates of quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDR) were 20 (45.4%) and the gyrA gene mutations in the mismatch amplification mutation assay PCR (MAMA-PCR), were 19 (43.1%) of isolates. In addition, the quinolone resistance gene (qnr) carried by plasmid in Campylobacter isolates was not found in the study. BlaOXA-61 and CmeB (multi-drug efflux pump) genes were detected as 28 (63.6%) and 30 (68.1), respectively. The Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus PCR (ERIC-PCR) used for typing the isolates revealed that the band profiles obtained from the isolates were different. In conclusion, this was a very comprehensive study revealing the presence of antibiotic-resistant C. jejuni and C. coli with various virulence genes in patients admitted to a university hospital with acute gastroenteritis. This is of utmost significance for public health. Since campylobacteria are foodborne, zoonotic pathogens and transmission occurs mostly through food. People should have detailed information about the transmission routes of campylobacteria and risky foods. In addition, staff, food processors and caterers, should be trained in hygiene.

Genotypic and Phenotypic Characterization of Pathogenic Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and Campylobacter spp., in Free-Living Birds in Mainland Portugal

Birds are potential carriers of pathogens affecting humans and agriculture. Aiming to evaluate the occurrence of the top three most important foodborne pathogens in free-living birds in Portugal, we investigated 108 individual fecal samples from free-living birds and one pooled sample of gull feces (n = 50) for the presence of Escherichia coli (pathogenic and non-pathogenic), Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. Virulence- and antimicrobial resistance- (AMR) associated genes were detected by PCR and Whole-Genome Sequencing (WGS), and phenotypic (serotyping and AMR profiles) characterization was performed. Overall, 8.9% of samples tested positive for pathogenic E. coli, 2.8% for Salmonella spp., and 9.9% for Campylobacter spp. AMR was performed on all pathogenic isolates and in a fraction of non-pathogenic E. coli, being detected in 25.9% of them. Ten of the tested E. coli isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR), and seven of them were Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producers. Among Salmonella (n = 3) and Campylobacter (n = 9), only one strain of C. jejuni was identified as MDR. Most of the identified serotypes/sequence types had already been found to be associated with human disease. These results show that free-living birds in Portugal may act as carriers of foodborne pathogens linked to human disease, some of them resistant to critically important antimicrobials.

Genetic relatedness, virulence, and drug susceptibility of Campylobacter isolated from water and wild birds

Introduction

This study aimed to identify the characteristics of Campylobacter isolated from wild birds (Black-headed gulls Chroicocephalus ridibundus and Great tits Parus major) and collect surface water samples (from rivers, ponds, ornamental lakes, freshwater beaches). Research material included 33 Campylobacter isolates. All the strains were isolated by different monitoring and surveillance plans.

Methods

The prevalence of selected genes (flaA, cadF, iam, cdtB, wlaN, sodB, tet0) encoding virulence factors and resistance among Campylobacter spp. was assessed by the PCR method. The genetic similarities of isolates were determined by Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE). The susceptibility of Campylobacter isolates to clinically important antimicrobials: erythromycin, tetracycline, and ciprofloxacin, previously assessed by E-test, was presented in the form of drug susceptibility profiles depending on the origin of the isolates.

Results

The cadF, flaA, cdtB, and sodB genes exhibited the highest detection rate. Statistically significant differences between the presence of wlaN virulence genes were noted among different species of the isolates. No genetically identical isolates were found. The most numerous antibiotic susceptibility profile included strains susceptible to all antibiotics studied (profile A-33.3%). The second most common were the tetracycline - and ciprofloxacin-resistant (profile B-27.2%), and tetracycline-resistant profile (C-24.2%) respectively.

Discussion

The study revealed the virulent properties of Campylobacter isolated from water samples, and wild birds, and high resistance rates to tetracycline, and fluoroquinolones. The lack of genetic relatedness among strains isolated from water, and birds may indicate other sources of surface water contamination with Campylobacter bacteria than birds. The presence of Campylobacter spp. in wild birds could also have other environmental origins.

Lack of Evidence That Bird Feeders Are a Source of Salmonellosis during Winter in Poland

Bird feeders are known to be a transfer site for many important bird pathogens, such as zoonotic Salmonella spp., known to be widespread among wild birds in Poland. The aim of the study was to investigate (1) whether feeders can be a source of Salmonella spp., (2) whether the risk is the same for feeders located in cities and rural areas and (3) whether there is a different level of contamination with Salmonella spp. between old and new feeders. Data were collected in the period 12 January-28 February 2018 in four cities in Poland and nearby rural areas. In total, 204 feeders were sampled. The samples from feeders were taken after a 2-week period of feeding birds. Material for analysis consisted of the remains of food and feces. We did not find the presence of Salmonella spp. in any of the tested samples collected from bird feeders. Therefore, the estimated value of the 95% confidence interval for the binary data was 0.000-0.018. Reasons for the isolation of Salmonella spp. from feeders not being successful lie in the low intensity of bacterial shedding by infected wild birds and low survival of bacteria in the environment in bird feces-which are still not well studied.

Antibiotic Resistance in the Alternative Lifestyles of Campylobacter jejuni

Campylobacter jejuni is the main pathogen identified in cases of foodborne gastroenteritis worldwide. Its importance in poultry production and public health is highlighted due to the growing antimicrobial resistance. Our study comparatively investigated the effect of five different classes of antimicrobials on the planktonic and biofilm forms of 35 strains of C. jejuni with high phylogenetic distinction in 30 of them. In the planktonic form, the existence of susceptible strains to colistin (7/35 - 20%) and resistance to meropenem (3/35 - 8.6%) represent a novelty in strains evaluated in Brazil. In biofilms formed with the addition of chicken juice, the number of resistant strains was significantly higher for colistin, erythromycin and meropenem (100%), but the susceptibility to tetracycline was shown as a control strategy for specific cases. High concentrations (1,060 ± 172.1mg/L) of antibiotics were necessary to control the biofilm structure in susceptible strains in the planktonic form, which is consistent with the high biomass produced in these strains. Stainless steel and polyurethane were the most (BFI=2.1) and least (BFI=1.6) favorable surfaces for the production of biomass treated with antimicrobials. It is concluded that the antimicrobial action was detected for all tested drugs in planktonic form. In sessile forms, the biomass production was intensified, except for tetracycline, which showed an antibiofilm effect.

Does Traditional Feeding of Outdoor Guard Dogs Provide a Food Resource for Wild Mammals and Birds?

Simple Summary

Access to food is crucial in the life of birds, and affects reproduction, survival and, consequently, population size. We investigated how traditional care of dogs affected rural birds and other animal populations. Using camera traps, it was found that the food fed to dogs was also taken by seven species of birds and at least three species of mammals. The most numerous species taking dog food was the house sparrow, Passer domesticus, which is declining in Europe. In the case of this species, females were more likely than males to use food provided for dogs, with a clear preference for food prepared in the human kitchen. We conclude that the food provided to domestic pets can be an important component of the diet of wild birds and mammals living close to humans.

Abstract

Access to food is crucial in the life of birds and affects reproduction, survival and, consequently, population size. In the case of bird species inhabiting villages, poorer food conditions now exist, mainly because of changes in the lifestyle of rural residents and a reduction in the number of farm animals traditionally housed in backyards. Recent changes have also affected dog populations in villages, and the majority of them are no longer kept outside as guard dogs, but rather inside houses as pets. We investigated how traditional care of dogs impacted rural birds and other animal populations. The study was carried out at the end of winter and early spring in 29 farmsteads in western Poland. Using camera traps, it was found that the food fed to dogs was also taken by seven species of birds and at least three species of mammals. The most numerous species taking dog food was the house sparrow, Passer domesticus, which is declining in Europe. In the case of this species, females were more likely than males to use food given to dogs, with a clear preference for food prepared in the human kitchen. We conclude that the food provided to domestic pets can be an important component of the diet of wild birds and mammals living close to humans.