We found a match
Your institution may have rights to this item. Sign in to continue.
- Title
Is Caretta Caretta a Carrier of Antibiotic Resistance in the Mediterranean Sea?
- Authors
Alduina, Rosa; Gambino, Delia; Presentato, Alessandro; Gentile, Antonino; Sucato, Arianna; Savoca, Dario; Filippello, Serena; Visconti, Giulia; Caracappa, Giulia; Vicari, Domenico; Arculeo, Marco
- Abstract
Sea turtles can be considered a sentinel species for monitoring the health of marine ecosystems, acting, at the same time, as a carrier of microorganisms. Indeed, sea turtles can acquire the microbiota from their reproductive sites and feeding, contributing to the diffusion of antibiotic-resistant strains to uncontaminated environments. This study aims to unveil the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in (i) loggerhead sea turtles stranded along the coast of Sicily (Mediterranean Sea), (ii) unhatched and/or hatched eggs, (iii) sand from the turtles' nest and (iv) seawater. Forty-four bacterial strains were isolated and identified by conventional biochemical tests and 16S rDNA sequencing. The Gram-negative Aeromonas and Vibrio species were mainly found in sea turtles and seawater samples, respectively. Conversely, the Gram-positive Bacillus, Streptococcus, and Staphylococcus strains were mostly isolated from eggs and sand. The antimicrobial resistance profile of the isolates revealed that these strains were resistant to cefazolin (95.5%), streptomycin (43.2%), colistin and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (34.1%). Moreover, metagenome analysis unveiled the presence of both antibiotic and heavy metal resistance genes, as well as the mobile element class 1 integron at an alarming percentage rate. Our results suggest that Caretta caretta could be considered a carrier of antibiotic-resistant genes.
- Subjects
SICILY (Italy); DRUG resistance in bacteria; LOGGERHEAD turtle; MARINE ecosystem health; DRUG resistance in microorganisms; SEA turtles; KLEBSIELLA pneumoniae
- Publication
Antibiotics (2079-6382), 2020, Vol 9, Issue 3, p116
- ISSN
2079-6382
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3390/antibiotics9030116