Multidrug resistant enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli serogroups in the faeces of hunted Wildlife, Abeokuta, Nigeria

Wildlife play significant roles in the dissemination and zoonotic transmission of pathogens. The enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) are associated with complicated cases of food-borne illnesses. This study investigated the presence of EHEC serogroups (O26, O45, O103, O145, O91, O111, O128, O121 and O157) in wildlife species: cane rats (Thryonomys swinderianus), royal antelope (Neotragus pygmaeus), African giant rats (Cricetomys gambianus) and waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus). EHEC and non-EHEC isolates from these wildlife sources were tested for susceptibility to antimicrobial agents. Overall, 127 (83.0 %) of 153 samples yielded E. coli. Nine (5.9%) samples were positive for EHEC belonging to three serogroups as follows; O26 (n=2), O111 (n=2) and O103 (n=5). The EHEC isolates were from cane rats (n=6) and royal antelope (n=3) and possessed virulence-associated genes stx1 (77.8%), stx2 (100.0%), eaeA (100.0%) and hlyA (100.0%). Overall, 127 E. coli isolates showed resistance to ampicillin (99.2%), ceftiofur (90.6%), tetracycline (90.0%), cephalexin (87.4%), cefotaxime (50.4%), streptomycin 42.5%, ceftazidime (41.7%), nalidixic acid (37.0%), ciprofloxacin (43.6%), amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (32.3%), gentamicin (27.6%), sulphamethoxazole/trimethoprim (25.2%), norfloxacin (17.3%) and chloramphenicol (11.0%). The roles of wildlife in the dissemination and transmission of antimicrobial resistant and zoonotic bacteria should not be neglected for effective preventive and control strategies.