Synanthropic rodents and shrews are reservoirs of zoonotic bacterial pathogens and act as sentinels for antimicrobial resistance spillover in the environment: A study from Puducherry, India
Nivedha Devanathan,
Hirak Kumar Mukhopadhyay,
Krishan Kumar Sihag,
A. Terence Nathan,
Aravindasamy Chakkaravarthi,
Lakshmy Srinivasan,
Mouttou Vivek Srinivas,
Jayalakshmi Vasu,
Venkatesa Perumal Shanmugam,
Manju Rahi,
Panneer Devaraju
Affiliations
Nivedha Devanathan
Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Veterinary Education and Research (RIVER), Kurumbapet, Puducherry 605009, India
Hirak Kumar Mukhopadhyay
Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Veterinary Education and Research (RIVER), Kurumbapet, Puducherry 605009, India
Krishan Kumar Sihag
Unit of One Health, ICMR- Vector Control Research Centre (ICMR-VCRC), Indira Nagar, Puducherry 605006, India
A. Terence Nathan
Unit of One Health, ICMR- Vector Control Research Centre (ICMR-VCRC), Indira Nagar, Puducherry 605006, India
Aravindasamy Chakkaravarthi
Unit of One Health, ICMR- Vector Control Research Centre (ICMR-VCRC), Indira Nagar, Puducherry 605006, India
Lakshmy Srinivasan
Unit of One Health, ICMR- Vector Control Research Centre (ICMR-VCRC), Indira Nagar, Puducherry 605006, India
Mouttou Vivek Srinivas
Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Veterinary Education and Research (RIVER), Kurumbapet, Puducherry 605009, India
Jayalakshmi Vasu
Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Veterinary Education and Research (RIVER), Kurumbapet, Puducherry 605009, India
Venkatesa Perumal Shanmugam
Department of Veterinary Biochemistry, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Veterinary Education and Research (RIVER), Kurumbapet, Puducherry 605009, India
Manju Rahi
The Director, ICMR- Vector Control Research Centre (ICMR-VCRC), Indira Nagar, Puducherry 605006, India
Panneer Devaraju
Unit of One Health, ICMR- Vector Control Research Centre (ICMR-VCRC), Indira Nagar, Puducherry 605006, India; Corresponding author.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health concern and needs to be monitored for control. In this study, synanthropic rodents trapped from humans and animal habitats in Puducherry, India, were screened as sentinels for bacterial pathogens of public health importance and antimicrobial resistance spillover. From the trapped rodents and shrews (n = 100) pathogens viz., Staphylococcus sp, E. coli and Salmonella sp were isolated from oropharyngeal and rectal swabs on Mannitol salt, Mac Conkey and Xylose lysine deoxycholate media respectively. The AMR genes in these isolates were screened by PCR. A total of 76, S. aureus and 19, Staphylococcus non aureus were isolated. E. coli was isolated in 89 samples and among the Salmonella sp (n = 59), 16, were S. enteritidis and 29, were S. typhimurium. A total of 46 MRSA isolates with mec A (n = 40) and mec C (n = 6) were detected. Also, 36.84% and 5.3% Staphylococcus non aureus isolates were tested to have mec A and mec C genes. AMR genes encoding ESBL [blaTEM in 21, blaSHV in 45 and blaCTX-M in 11] was tested positive in 77 E. coli isolates. Among, Salmonella isolates 44/45 were screened to have AMR genes [tet in 13, sul3 & sul4 in 20 and qnrA in 11]. Antibiotic sensitivity test confirmed the antimicrobial resistance. Isolation of pathogens of public health importance and demonstration of genetic elements conferring antimicrobial resistance in the synanthropic rodents confirms that they act as reservoirs and appropriate sentinels to monitor AMR spillover in the environment.
