AUTHOR=Rahman Md. Kaisar , Hassan Mohammad Mahmudul , Islam Shariful , Rostal Melinda K. , Uddin Md. Helal , Hagan Emily , Samad Mohammed Abdus , Flora Meerjady Sabrina , Epstein Jonathan H. , Islam Ariful 

TITLE=Characterization and epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance patterns of Salmonella spp. and Staphylococcus spp. in free-ranging rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) at high-risk interfaces with people and livestock in Bangladesh

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Veterinary Science

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2023.1103922

DOI=10.3389/fvets.2023.1103922

ISSN=2297-1769

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Introduction</title><p>Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global health threat for humans and animals. Environmental contamination of antimicrobials from human and domestic animal feces has been linked to AMR in wildlife populations, including rhesus macaques. This study aimed to describe the eco-epidemiology of AMR within <italic>Salmonella</italic> and <italic>Staphylococcus</italic> species isolated from rhesus macaques.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>We followed macaque groups for 4 h per day (2 days) to observe the direct and indirect contact rate and type between macaques and people and livestock. We collected 399 freshly defecated, non-invasive fecal samples from macaques at seven sites in Bangladesh in January–June 2017. Bacterial isolation and identification were conducted using culture, biochemical characteristics, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). An antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST) for 12 antimicrobials for each organism was conducted using the Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>The overall prevalence of <italic>Salmonella</italic> spp. and <italic>Staphylococcus</italic> spp. in rhesus macaques was 5% (<italic>n</italic> = 18; 95% CI: 3–7%) and 16% (<italic>n</italic> = 64; 95% CI: 13–20%), respectively. All the isolated <italic>Salmonella</italic> spp. and most of the <italic>Staphylococcus</italic> spp. (95%; 61/64; 95% CI: 86.9–99%) were resistant to at least one antimicrobial. The odds of a fecal sample having antimicrobial-resistant <italic>Salmonella</italic> spp (OR = 6.6; CI: 0.9–45.8, <italic>P</italic> = 0.05) and <italic>Staphylococcus</italic> spp. (OR = 5.6; CI: 1.2–26, <italic>P</italic> = 0.02) were significantly higher in samples collected at peri-urban sites than those collected at rural and urban sites. <italic>Salmonella</italic> spp. were most frequently resistant to tetracycline (89%), azithromycin (83%), sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (50%), and nalidixic acid (44%). <italic>Staphylococcus</italic> spp. were found to be highly resistant to ampicillin (93%), methicillin (31%), clindamycin (26%), and rifampicin (18%). Both bacterial species produced colonies with multidrug resistance to up to seven antimicrobials. Direct and indirect contact rates (within 20 m for at least 15 min) and resource sharing between macaques and people were higher in urban sites, while macaque-livestock contact rates were higher in rural sites.</p></sec><sec><title>Discussion</title><p>The study shows that resistant microorganisms are circulating in rhesus macaque, and direct and indirect contact with humans and livestock might expand the resistant organisms.</p></sec>