Children's zoos could potentially transmit highly drug resistant virulent bacteria to visitors – ScienceDaily

The study was conducted by Professor Shiri Navon-Venezia of Ariel University, Ariel, Israel and his colleagues, with the aim of exploring the prevalence, molecular epidemiology and risk factors for animals from zoos for children becoming colonized by MDR bacteria. Children's zoos are a popular attraction around the world, allowing direct and indirect exposure of children and adults to a wide range of animal species. They differ from conventional zoos because, instead of watching animals, children's zoos are interactive and allow children to visit, hold and pet animals.

Extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) and AmpC-producing enteric bacteria (AmpC-E), which are resistant to a number of commonly used antibiotics, have become a subject of great concern in human medicine and veterinarian, to understand the likelihood of colonization of animals is essential to badess the risk that visitors may pose.

The researchers conducted a study of eight randomly selected children's zoos, geographically distributed in Israel, collecting faecal samples and body surface (skin, fur or feathers) from 228 animals belonging to 42 different species. Genetic sequencing was used to identify both the species of bacteria present in each sample and the presence of ESBL and AmpC drug resistance genes. The zoo owners received questionnaires about the age and medical history of their animals, which were badyzed to determine additional risk factors.

A total of 382 samples were collected from 228 animals, and 12% of the animals were colonized with at least one bacterial strain producing ESBL / AmpC, with 35 different species of bacteria recovered. The majority (77%) of MDR bacteria were obtained from faeces, the remaining 23% from skin, coat or feathers. A quarter of seropositive animals for drug-resistant bacteria were colonized by more than one bacterial strain. Among the identified bacterial strains were E. coli ST656, highly virulent, which causes traveler's diarrhea, and E. coli ST127; a common cause of urinary tract infections in humans.

The badysis of the data revealed that if an animal was treated with antibiotics, it was seven times more likely to lose the MDR bacteria. The study found that children's zoos were a reservoir for a wide range of ESBL / AmpC-E species and were a potential source of elimination of these highly virulent pathogens that could be transmitted to children. humans – mainly children – who sometimes went to these facilities.

Professor Navon-Venezia concludes: "Our results show that animals in children's zoos can result in the disappearance and transmission of MR pathogens, which can cause diseases for visitors, even when animals appear to be in danger. For children, therefore, we strongly recommend that management teams of children's gardens implement a strict hygiene and infection control policy, as well as a streamlined policy. in antibiotics, to reduce the risk of transmission between animals and visitors. "

She added: "Zoo operators should take immediate action by installing hand-washing stations to ensure proper washing of hands before and after animals' hugs, to ban food and drink by animals, and to prevent stroking of treated animals. to antibiotics. "