TY - JOUR
T1 - No evidence for transmission of antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli strains from humans to wild western lowland gorillas in Lopé National Park, Gabon
AU - Benavides, Julio Andre
AU - Godreuil, Sylvain
AU - Bodenham, Rebecca
AU - Ratiarison, Sandra
AU - Devos, Céline
AU - Petretto, Marie Odile
AU - Raymond, Michel
AU - Escobar-Páramo, Patricia
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2013 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2012/6/1
Y1 - 2012/6/1
N2 - The intensification of human activities within the habitats of wild animals is increasing the risk of interspecies disease transmission. This risk is particularly important for great apes, given their close phylogenetic relationship with humans. Areas of high human density or intense research and ecotourism activities expose apes to a high risk of disease spillover from humans. Is this risk lower in areas of low human density? We determined the prevalence of Escherichia coli antibiotic-resistant isolates in a population of the critically endangered western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) and other wild mammals in Lopé National Park (LNP), Gabon, and we tested whether the observed pattern could be explained by bacterial transmission from humans and domestic animals into wildlife populations. Our results show a high prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial isolates in humans and low levels in gorillas and other wildlife. The significant differences in the genetic background of the resistant bacteria isolated from humans and gorillas suggest that transmission is low or does not occur between these two species. These findings indicate that the presence of antibiotic-resistant strains in wildlife do not imply direct bacteria transmission from humans. Thus, in areas of low human density, human-wildlife E. coli transmission seems to be low. The presence of antibiotic-resistant isolates in gorillas may be better explained by other mechanisms for resistance acquisition, such as horizontal gene exchange among bacteria or naturally acquired resistance.
AB - The intensification of human activities within the habitats of wild animals is increasing the risk of interspecies disease transmission. This risk is particularly important for great apes, given their close phylogenetic relationship with humans. Areas of high human density or intense research and ecotourism activities expose apes to a high risk of disease spillover from humans. Is this risk lower in areas of low human density? We determined the prevalence of Escherichia coli antibiotic-resistant isolates in a population of the critically endangered western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) and other wild mammals in Lopé National Park (LNP), Gabon, and we tested whether the observed pattern could be explained by bacterial transmission from humans and domestic animals into wildlife populations. Our results show a high prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial isolates in humans and low levels in gorillas and other wildlife. The significant differences in the genetic background of the resistant bacteria isolated from humans and gorillas suggest that transmission is low or does not occur between these two species. These findings indicate that the presence of antibiotic-resistant strains in wildlife do not imply direct bacteria transmission from humans. Thus, in areas of low human density, human-wildlife E. coli transmission seems to be low. The presence of antibiotic-resistant isolates in gorillas may be better explained by other mechanisms for resistance acquisition, such as horizontal gene exchange among bacteria or naturally acquired resistance.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84864105714&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1128/AEM.07593-11
DO - 10.1128/AEM.07593-11
M3 - Article
C2 - 22492436
AN - SCOPUS:84864105714
VL - 78
SP - 4281
EP - 4287
JO - Applied and Environmental Microbiology
JF - Applied and Environmental Microbiology
SN - 0099-2240
IS - 12
ER -