Exploring Antimicrobial Resistance in Bacteria from Fecal Samples of Insectivorous Bats: A Preliminary Study

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Veterinary Science
• One Health

Background:

• Bats (order Chiroptera) are recognized reservoirs for pathogenic and antimicrobial-resistant bacteria (ARB).
• Limited data exists on ARB in bat populations in Sicily.
• Understanding bat-associated ARB is crucial for human, animal, and environmental health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the presence and antimicrobial resistance profiles of bacterial isolates from bat populations in Sicily.
• To assess the potential role of bats as reservoirs of ARB in this region.

Main Methods:

• Collected 132 samples (120 rectal swabs, 12 guano) from four sites in Sicily.
• Performed bacteriological analysis to isolate and identify bacterial strains.
• Conducted antimicrobial susceptibility testing on isolated bacterial strains.

Main Results:

• Identified 213 bacterial isolates, including common species like Escherichia coli, Citrobacter freundii, Morganella morganii, Bacillus licheniformis, and Staphylococcus xylosus.
• Detected high resistance rates to colistin, amoxicillin, ampicillin (Gram-negative), and oxacillin, ceftazidime, lincomycin (Gram-positive).
• Found that 84.5% of isolates exhibited multidrug resistance.

Conclusions:

• Bats in Sicily harbor a significant number of bacterial isolates with high antimicrobial resistance.
• Bats may serve as important reservoirs for ARB, posing potential risks.
• Continuous monitoring within a One Health framework is essential to manage ARB transmission risks.