Antimicrobial Resistance and Wildlife: Occurrence of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in Red Foxes (<i>Vulpes vulpes</i>, Linnaeus, 1758), in Italy
Clinically significant antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and resistance genes are increasingly being reported in wildlife. In this study, 127 splenic samples from red foxes (<i>Vulpes vulpes</i>) from northern and central Italy were analysed for the presence of resistance genes against an...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Animals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/14/2022 |
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| Summary: | Clinically significant antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and resistance genes are increasingly being reported in wildlife. In this study, 127 splenic samples from red foxes (<i>Vulpes vulpes</i>) from northern and central Italy were analysed for the presence of resistance genes against antimicrobials such as tetracycline, sulphonamide, β-lactam, and colistin, which were previously extensively used in human and veterinary management of bacterial diseases. One or more antimicrobial resistance genes were detected in 78 (61%) of 127 splenic samples. Polymerase chain reaction positivity was revealed for 13 genes—<i>tet</i>(A), <i>tet</i>(B), <i>tet</i>(K), <i>tet</i>(L), <i>tet</i>(M), <i>tet</i>(O), <i>tetA</i>(P), <i>tet</i>(Q), <i>tet</i>(S), <i>tet</i>(X), <i>sul1</i>, <i>sul2</i>, and <i>bla</i><sub>TEM-1</sub>—out of the 21 tested genes. Our results, corroborated by reports in the literature, confirm the potential role of the red fox as a sentinel for antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in contaminated environments and suggest that detecting resistance genes in biological samples by a culture-independent method might be an effective tool for the epidemiological study of antimicrobial resistance in wildlife. |
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| ISSN: | 2076-2615 |