Gulls as sources of environmental contamination by colistin-resistant bacteria
Scientific Reports
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Abstract
In 2015, the mcr-1 gene was discovered in Escherichia coli in domestic swine in China that conferred resistance to colistin, an antibiotic of last resort used in treating multi-drug resistant bacterial infections in humans. Since then, mcr-1 was found in other human and animal populations, including wild gulls. Because gulls could disseminate the mcr-1 gene, we conducted an experiment to assess whether gulls are readily colonized with mcr-1 positive E. coli, their shedding patterns, transmission among conspecifics, and environmental deposition. Shedding of mcr-1 E. coli by small gull flocks followed a lognormal curve and gulls shed one strain >101 log10 CFU/g in their feces for 16.4 days, which persisted in the environment for 29.3 days. Because gulls are mobile and can shed antimicrobial-resistant bacteria for extended periods, gulls may facilitate transmission of mcr-1 positive E. coli to humans and livestock through fecal contamination of water, public areas and agricultural operations.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Gulls as sources of environmental contamination by colistin-resistant bacteria |
| Series title | Scientific Reports |
| DOI | 10.1038/s41598-020-61318-2 |
| Volume | 10 |
| Year Published | 2020 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Nature |
| Contributing office(s) | Alaska Science Center Biology WTEB |
| Description | 4408, 10 p. |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |