Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - The prevalence of antimicrobial resistant Escherichia coli in sympatric wild rodents varies by season and host.
AU - Williams, N. J.
AU - Sherlock, Christopher
AU - Jones, T.R.
AU - Clough, H.E.
AU - Telfer, S.E.
AU - Begon, M.
AU - French, N.P.
AU - Bennett, M.
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - Aims: To investigate the prevalence and temporal patterns of antimicrobial resistance in wild rodents with no apparent exposure to antimicrobials. Methods and Results: Two sympatric populations of bank voles and wood mice were trapped and individually monitored over a 2- year period for faecal carriage of antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli. High prevalences of ampicillin-, chloramphenicol-, tetracycline- and trimethoprim-resistant E. coli were observed. A markedly higher prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant E. coli was found in wood mice than in bank voles, with the prevalence in both increasing over time. Superimposed on this trend was a seasonal cycle with a peak prevalence of resistant E. coli in mice in early- to mid-summer and in voles in late summer and early autumn. Conclusions: These sympatric rodent species had no obvious contact with antimicrobials, and the difference in resistance profiles between rodent species and seasons suggests that factors present in their environment are unlikely to be drivers of such resistance. Significance and Impact of the Study: These findings suggest that rodents may represent a reservoir of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, transmissible to livestock and man. Furthermore, such findings have implications for human and veterinary medicine regarding antimicrobial usage and subsequent selection of antimicrobial-resistant organisms.
AB - Aims: To investigate the prevalence and temporal patterns of antimicrobial resistance in wild rodents with no apparent exposure to antimicrobials. Methods and Results: Two sympatric populations of bank voles and wood mice were trapped and individually monitored over a 2- year period for faecal carriage of antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli. High prevalences of ampicillin-, chloramphenicol-, tetracycline- and trimethoprim-resistant E. coli were observed. A markedly higher prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant E. coli was found in wood mice than in bank voles, with the prevalence in both increasing over time. Superimposed on this trend was a seasonal cycle with a peak prevalence of resistant E. coli in mice in early- to mid-summer and in voles in late summer and early autumn. Conclusions: These sympatric rodent species had no obvious contact with antimicrobials, and the difference in resistance profiles between rodent species and seasons suggests that factors present in their environment are unlikely to be drivers of such resistance. Significance and Impact of the Study: These findings suggest that rodents may represent a reservoir of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, transmissible to livestock and man. Furthermore, such findings have implications for human and veterinary medicine regarding antimicrobial usage and subsequent selection of antimicrobial-resistant organisms.
KW - antimicrobial resistance
KW - Escherichia coli
KW - temporal variation
KW - wildlife
U2 - 10.1111/j.1365-2672.2011.04952.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1365-2672.2011.04952.x
M3 - Journal article
VL - 110
SP - 962
EP - 970
JO - Journal of Applied Microbiology
JF - Journal of Applied Microbiology
SN - 1364-5072
IS - 4
ER -