The environmental watchdogs: Wildlife as sentinels of antimicrobial resistance pollution in the environment in Catalonia

Authors

  • Laila Darwich Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain (UAB).
  • Rafael A. Molina-López Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre (WCR) of Torreferrussa (Barcelona, Spain).

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7203/metode.13.23653

Keywords:

antimicrobial resistance, beta-lactamases resistance genes, Catalonia, colistin-resistance genes, wildlife

Abstract

The increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in both humans and livestock is attributed largely to the overuse and misuse of antimicrobials. The alarming emergence of this resistance in human and veterinary medicine has activated awareness for monitoring the levels of AMR pollution in the environment. In this report, the emergence of genes conferring resistance to human last-resort antibiotics is described in a wide diversity of wild animals. It suggests that wildlife can be good sentinels of AMR environmental pollution, especially in highly populated areas. Moreover, wild animals can also contribute in the dissemination of AMR bacteria and genes in the environment and represent a zoonotic risk for the population who are exposed to them.

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Author Biographies

Laila Darwich, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain (UAB).

Full Professor in Infectious Diseases at the Veterinary School of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), Spain. Scientific Coordinator of the International Master’s Degree in Zoonoses and One Health (UAB) and local coordinator of the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Degree in Infectious Diseases and One Health offered by the University of Tours (France), UAB (Spain) and Medical School of Hannover University (Germany).

Rafael A. Molina-López, Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre (WCR) of Torreferrussa (Barcelona, Spain).

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre (WCR) of Torreferrussa (Barcelona, Spain). Certified Member of the European College of Zoological Medicine–Wildlife Population Health (ECZM). AVEPA Exotic Accreditation (Association of Spanish Veterinarians Specialists in Small Animals).

References

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Published

2023-02-23

How to Cite

Darwich, L., & Molina-López, R. A. (2023). The environmental watchdogs: Wildlife as sentinels of antimicrobial resistance pollution in the environment in Catalonia. Metode Science Studies Journal, (13), 125–131. https://doi.org/10.7203/metode.13.23653
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Issue

Science. The genesis of ideas (vol. 13, 2023)

Section

One health, one world

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