Black-headed gulls and antibiotic resistance spread
Author Information
Author(s): Martín-Vélez Víctor, Navarro Joan, Vazquez Manuel, Navarro-Ramos María J., Bonnedahl Jonas, van Toor Mariëlle L., Bustamante Javier, Green Andy J.
Primary Institution: Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM), CSIC
Hypothesis
How do black-headed gulls contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance from wastewater treatment plants?
Conclusion
Black-headed gulls are significant vectors for the spread of antibiotic resistance from wastewater treatment plants to various environments.
Supporting Evidence
- Black-headed gulls visited 21 different wastewater treatment plants and three landfills.
- Areas at risk of AMR dissemination were identified up to 500 km from the infection source.
- Individual gulls showed variability in habitat specialization and AMR dissemination potential.
- Median transmission distance from AMR sources was 24 km.
Takeaway
Black-headed gulls can carry germs that resist antibiotics, which can spread to places where people and animals might get sick.
Methodology
GPS tracking of 39 black-headed gulls over 8 months to study their movements and visits to wastewater treatment plants and landfills.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to loss of signal from some tracked individuals and exclusion of movements outside the Iberian Peninsula.
Limitations
The study did not screen gulls for antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and individual variations in AMR concentrations were not assessed.
Participant Demographics
Black-headed gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) tracked during breeding and wintering seasons in southern Iberia.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI ranging from 295 to 561 km²
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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