Flamingos pampeanos as reservoirs of multidrug resistant bacteria

SORIA, M; KURTH, D; DIB, JR; FERNÁNDEZ ZENOFF, V

Córdoba

Congreso; XI Congreso Argentino de Microbiologia General SAMIGE; 2015

SAMIGE

Migratory birds can carry a wide range of viral, bacterial, fungal and protozoan zoonotic agents and some are pathogens thatmay be transmitted to humans. It has been postulated the role of flamingos as dispersers of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms.The aim of this work was to study the intestinal microbiota of these vertebrates and evaluate the resistance of the isolatedbacteria to different antimicrobials. Bacteria from flamingo feces from Bella Vista and La Badenia lakes (33°42 ́34°18 ́S and61°25 ́-62°32 ́O) were isolated by plating in R2A and R2A supplemented with four different antibiotics (ampicillin [Amp], 100 μgml-1; chloramphenicol [Cm], 170 μg ml-1; erythromycin [Ery], 50 μg ml-1 and tetracycline [Tet], 50 μg ml-1). In Bella Vista lake,a count of 1.9×10 3 CFU μg-1 from flamingo feces was obtained; where 43% of the isolates were resistant to Amp, 17% to Tetand 5% to Cm and Ery. In Badenia lake, 2.2×10 3 CFU g-1 were determinated, with 78% of resistance to Tet, 55% to Cm, 14%to Ery, and 5% to Amp. 68 bacteria were isolated and they were grouped according to their RAPD profile. The identification ofthe isolates was performed by the sequence of the amplification products of 16S rRNA gene. This study contributes tocharacterize the antibiotic resistant pattern of bacteria isolated from pampean flamingo?s feces and highlights the role offlamingos as reservoirs, vectors and/or dispensers of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.