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. 2019 Oct 31;61(1):51.
doi: 10.1186/s13028-019-0486-9.

Investigation of urban birds as source of β-lactamase-producing Gram-negative bacteria in Marseille city, France

Edgarthe Priscilla Ngaiganam  1 , Isabelle Pagnier  1   2 , Wafaa Chaalal  1 , Thongpan Leangapichart  1 , Selma Chabou  1 , Jean-Marc Rolain  1   2 , Seydina Mouhamadou Diene  3   4
Affiliations

Investigation of urban birds as source of β-lactamase-producing Gram-negative bacteria in Marseille city, France

Edgarthe Priscilla Ngaiganam et al. Acta Vet Scand. .

Abstract

Background: We investigate here the presence of multidrug-resistant bacteria isolated from stool samples of yellow-legged gulls and chickens (n = 136) in urban parks and beaches of Marseille, France. Bacterial isolation was performed on selective media, including MacConkey agar with ceftriaxone and LBJMR medium. Antibiotic resistance genes, including extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL) (i.e. blaCTX-M, blaTEM and blaSHV), carbapenemases (blaKPC, blaVIM, blaNDM, blaOXA-23, blaOXA-24, blaOXA-48 and blaOXA-58) and colistin resistance genes (mcr-1 to mcr-5) were screened by real-time PCR and standard PCR and sequenced when found.

Results: Of the 136 stools samples collected, seven ESBL-producing Gram-negative bacteria (BGN) and 12 colistin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae were isolated. Among them, five ESBL-producing Escherichia coli and eight colistin-resistant Hafnia alvei strains were identified. Four blaTEM-1 genes were detected in yellow-legged gulls and chickens. Three CTX-M-15 genes were detected in yellow-legged gulls and pigeons, and one CTX-M-1 in a yellow-legged gull. No mcr-1 to mcr-5 gene were detected in colistin-resistant isolates. Genotyping of E. coli strains revealed four different sequence types already described in humans and animals and one new sequence type.

Conclusions: Urban birds, which are believed to have no contact with antibiotics appear as potential source of ESBL genes. Our findings highlight the important role of urban birds in the proliferation of multidrug-resistant bacteria and also the possible zoonotic transmission of such bacteria from wild birds to humans.

Keywords: Chickens; Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL); Marseille; Pigeons; Urban birds; Yellow-legged gulls.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Map depicting sites of sample collection in Marseille, France. The sampling sites are located in different districts of the city of Marseille. The pigeon’s site, Longchamp Park and the site of yellow-legged gull Palais Longchamp, are both located in the 4th district. Parc chanot, site of pigeons and Parc Borely, site of yellow-legged gull is in the 8th district. The Parc du 26ème Centenaire, site of Pigeons and Chicken, is located in the 10th arrondissement. Finally, the Park Mistral (Espace Mistral), site of pigeons and Beach of Estaque (Plages de Corbière), site of yellow-legged gull, are located in the 16th district
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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