Pathogenic Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. in Two Natural Conservation Centers of Wildlife in Portugal: Genotypic and Phenotypic Characterization

Angela Pista; Leonor Silveira; Sofia Ribeiro; Mariana Fontes; Rita Castro; Anabela Coelho; Rosália Furtado; Teresa Lopes; Carla Maia; Verónica Mixão; Vítor Borges; Ana Sá; Vanessa Soeiro; Cristina Belo Correia; João Paulo Gomes; Margarida Saraiva; Mónica Oleastro; Rita Batista

doi:10.3390/microorganisms10112132

Microorganisms (Oct 2022)

Pathogenic Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. in Two Natural Conservation Centers of Wildlife in Portugal: Genotypic and Phenotypic Characterization

Angela Pista,
Leonor Silveira,
Sofia Ribeiro,
Mariana Fontes,
Rita Castro,
Anabela Coelho,
Rosália Furtado,
Teresa Lopes,
Carla Maia,
Verónica Mixão,
Vítor Borges,
Ana Sá,
Vanessa Soeiro,
Cristina Belo Correia,
João Paulo Gomes,
Margarida Saraiva,
Mónica Oleastro,
Rita Batista

Affiliations

Angela Pista: National Reference Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Infections, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
Leonor Silveira: National Reference Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Infections, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
Sofia Ribeiro: National Reference Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Infections, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
Mariana Fontes: National Reference Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Infections, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
Rita Castro: National Reference Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Infections, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
Anabela Coelho: Food Microbiology Laboratory, Food and Nutrition Department, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
Rosália Furtado: Food Microbiology Laboratory, Food and Nutrition Department, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
Teresa Lopes: Food Microbiology Laboratory, Food and Nutrition Department, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Rua Alexandre Herculano 321, 4000-055 Porto, Portugal
Carla Maia: Food Microbiology Laboratory, Food and Nutrition Department, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
Verónica Mixão: Genomics and Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
Vítor Borges: Genomics and Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
Ana Sá: Tapada Nacional de Mafra, Portão do Codeçal, 2640-602 Mafra, Portugal
Vanessa Soeiro: Centro de Recuperação do Parque Biológico de Gaia, Rua da Cunha, Avintes, 4430-812 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
Cristina Belo Correia: Food Microbiology Laboratory, Food and Nutrition Department, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
João Paulo Gomes: Genomics and Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
Margarida Saraiva: Food Microbiology Laboratory, Food and Nutrition Department, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Rua Alexandre Herculano 321, 4000-055 Porto, Portugal
Mónica Oleastro: National Reference Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Infections, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
Rita Batista: Food Microbiology Laboratory, Food and Nutrition Department, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10112132
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 10, no. 11
p. 2132

Abstract

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Human–wildlife coexistence may increase the potential risk of direct transmission of emergent or re-emergent zoonotic pathogens to humans. Intending to assess the occurrence of three important foodborne pathogens in wild animals of two wildlife conservation centers in Portugal, we investigated 132 fecal samples for the presence of Escherichia coli (Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) and non-STEC), Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. A genotypic search for genes having virulence and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) was performed by means of PCR and Whole-Genome Sequencing (WGS) and phenotypic (serotyping and AMR profiles) characterization. Overall, 62 samples tested positive for at least one of these species: 27.3% for STEC, 11.4% for non-STEC, 3.0% for Salmonella spp. and 6.8% for Campylobacter spp. AMR was detected in four E. coli isolates and the only Campylobacter coli isolated in this study. WGS analysis revealed that 57.7% (30/52) of pathogenic E. coli integrated genetic clusters of highly closely related isolates (often involving different animal species), supporting the circulation and transmission of different pathogenic E. coli strains in the studied areas. These results support the idea that the health of humans, animals and ecosystems are interconnected, reinforcing the importance of a One Health approach to better monitor and control public health threats.

Published in Microorganisms

ISSN: 2076-2607 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Biology (General)
Website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/microorganisms

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