Bacteriota and Antibiotic Resistance in Spiders

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Veterinary Entomology
• Public Health

Background:

• Arthropods, including spiders, can act as vectors for transmitting pathogenic microorganisms.
• Understanding the microbial communities on arthropods is crucial for assessing potential disease transmission risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the external bacterial communities (bacteriota) of spiders from a chicken farm and slaughterhouse.
• To determine the antimicrobial resistance profiles of the isolated bacteria.

Main Methods:

• Collected 102 spiders across 14 species from a chicken farm, slaughterhouse, and associated buildings in Slovakia.
• Used selective and non-selective agar media (TSA, TSI, BA, AA) for bacterial isolation and identification.
• Analyzed microbial composition and performed antimicrobial resistance testing on isolates.

Main Results:

• Isolated 28 bacterial genera and 56 species, with Bacillus pumilus and Bacillus thuringiensis being the most abundant.
• Significant differences in microbial composition were observed between spiders from different environments (farm, slaughterhouse, buildings).
• Bacterial isolates from the chicken farm exhibited higher rates of antibiotic resistance, including potentially pathogenic species like Salmonella and Escherichia.

Conclusions:

• Spiders harbor a diverse range of bacteria, with variations influenced by their environment.
• The presence of multidrug-resistant, potentially pathogenic bacteria on spiders from agricultural settings poses a public health concern.
• Further research is warranted to understand the role of spiders in the transmission dynamics of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria.