Abstract

VARGAS, Julio; MATTAR, Salim  and  MONSALVE, Santiago. Captive animals at Barranquilla’s zoo are reservoirs of high resistance bacterial pathogens. Infect. [online]. 2010, vol.14, n.1, pp.6-19. ISSN 0123-9392.

Objective: The objective is to determine respiratory and enteric bacterial pathogens and antimicrobial susceptibility in captive animals at Barranquilla Zoo. Materials and methods: Samples were taken from rectus and glottis in 30 birds and nasal and rectal swabs from 29 mammals, which were restricted mechanically and then anesthetized. Bacteria were identified by using biochemical tests such as: Urea, SIM, TSI, LIA and Citrate, some bacteria isolates were confirmed with API 20E (Biomerieux SA, Marcy I’Etoile, France) or Micro scan® Neg combo panel type 32 (Dade Behring, CA, USA). Antimicrobial susceptibility was assessed using the Bauer and Kirby method and taking into account CLSI regulation. Results Eighty-nine strains were obtained, 45 from birds and 44 from mammals. The most frequent bacteria were: E. coli (n = 31), Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 20), Enterobacter cloacae (n = 10), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 5), Staphylococcus­aureus(n = 5) and Pseudomonas stuzeri (n = 4). Gram negative bacteria and Staphylococciwere respectively resistant to the following antibiotics: tetracycline (28% and 57.1%), chloramphenicol (14.6% and 57.1%) and β-lactam (54.2% and 42.8); Gram-negative was (6.1%) resistant to Fluorquinolones and (2.4%) resistant to aminoglycosides; and Staphylococci were (64.2%) resistant to macrolides. Twenty-four (27%) were multi-resistant: 16 (36%) in birds and 8 (18%) in mammals. Conclusion: Resistance to one or more antibiotics in bacteria isolated from captive animals Barranquilla Zoo, is a risk factor for health for the animals themselves. The zoo animals are potential reservoirs for bacteria and resistance genes clinically important in the spread of these resistance factors. The resistance similarities found in animal and human strains suggest clone mobility between the sapiens species and the animals.

Keywords : zoological; antibiotics; resistance; animals; Colombia.

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