Wild birds including raptors can act as vectors of clinically relevant bacteria with antibiotic resistance. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli in black kites (Milvus migrans) inhabiting localities in proximity to human-influenced environments in southwestern Siberia and investigate their virulence and plasmid contents. A total of 51 E. coli isolates mostly with multidrug resistance (MDR) profiles were obtained from cloacal swabs of 35 (64%, n = 55) kites. Genomic analyses of 36 whole genome sequenced E. coli isolates showed: (i) high prevalence and diversity of their antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and common association with ESBL/AmpC production (27/36, 75%), (ii) carriage of mcr-1 for colistin resistance on IncI2 plasmids in kites residing in proximity of two large cities, (iii) frequent association with class one integrase (IntI1, 22/36, 61%), and (iv) presence of sequence types (STs) linked to avian-pathogenic (APEC) and extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC). Notably, numerous isolates had significant virulence content. One E. coli with APEC-associated ST354 carried qnrE1 encoding fluoroquinolone resistance on IncHI2-ST3 plasmid, the first detection of such a gene in E. coli from wildlife. Our results implicate black kites in southwestern Siberia as reservoirs for antibiotic-resistant E. coli. It also highlights the existing link between proximity of wildlife to human activities and their carriage of MDR bacteria including pathogenic STs with significant and clinically relevant antibiotic resistance determinants. IMPORTANCE Migratory birds have the potential to acquire and disperse clinically relevant antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and their associated antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) through vast geographical regions. The opportunistic feeding behavior associated with some raptors including black kites and the growing anthropogenic influence on their natural habitats increase the transmission risk of multidrug resistance (MDR) and pathogenic bacteria from human and agricultural sources into the environment and wildlife. Thus, monitoring studies investigating antibiotic resistance in raptors may provide essential data that facilitate understanding the fate and evolution of ARB and ARGs in the environment and possible health risks for humans and animals associated with the acquisition of these resistance determinants by wildlife.

• MeSH
• antagonisté receptorů pro angiotenzin MeSH
• antibakteriální látky farmakologie   MeSH
• divoká zvířata MeSH
• Escherichia coli * MeSH
• inhibitory ACE MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mnohočetná bakteriální léková rezistence genetika   MeSH
• proteiny z Escherichia coli * genetika   MeSH
• ptáci mikrobiologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Sibiř MeSH

Animal microbiomes play an important role in dietary adaptation, yet the extent to which microbiome changes exhibit parallel evolution is unclear. Of particular interest is an adaptation to extreme diets, such as blood, which poses special challenges in its content of proteins and lack of essential nutrients. In this study, we assessed taxonomic signatures (by 16S rRNA amplicon profiling) and potential functional signatures (inferred by Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt)) of haematophagy in birds and bats. Our goal was to test three alternative hypotheses: no convergence of microbiomes, convergence in taxonomy and convergence in function. We find a statistically significant effect of haematophagy in terms of microbial taxonomic convergence across the blood-feeding bats and birds, although this effect is small compared to the differences found between haematophagous and non-haematophagous species within the two host clades. We also find some evidence of convergence at the predicted functional level, although it is possible that the lack of metagenomic data and the poor representation of microbial lineages adapted to haematophagy in genome databases limit the power of this approach. The results provide a paradigm for exploring convergent microbiome evolution replicated with independent contrasts in different host lineages. This article is part of the theme issue 'Convergent evolution in the genomics era: new insights and directions'.

• MeSH
• Bacteria klasifikace   genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• biologická evoluce MeSH
• Chiroptera genetika   mikrobiologie   fyziologie   MeSH
• DNA bakterií genetika   MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• ptáci genetika   mikrobiologie   fyziologie   MeSH
• RNA ribozomální 16S genetika   MeSH
• stravovací zvyklosti MeSH
• střevní mikroflóra * MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. MeSH

The functional relevance of microbiota is a key aspect for understanding host-microbiota interactions. Mammalian skin harbours a complex consortium of beneficial microorganisms known to provide health and immune-boosting advantages. As yet, however, little is known about functional microbial communities on avian feathers, including their co-evolution with the host and factors determining feather microbiota (FM) diversity. Using 16S rRNA profiling, we investigated how host species identity, phylogeny and geographic origin determine FM in free-living passerine birds. Moreover, we estimated the relative abundance of bacteriocin-producing bacteria (BPB) and keratinolytic feather damaging bacteria (FDB) and evaluated the ability of BPB to affect FM diversity and relative abundance of FDB. Host species identity was associated with feather bacterial communities more strongly than host geographic origin. FM functional properties differed in terms of estimated BPB and FDB relative abundance, with both showing interspecific variation. FM diversity was negatively associated with BPB relative abundance across species, whereas BPB and FDB relative abundance was positively correlated. This study provides the first thorough evaluation of antimicrobial peptides-producing bacterial communities inhabiting the feather integument, including their likely potential to mediate niche-competition and to be associated with functional species-specific feather microbiota in avian hosts.

• MeSH
• Bacteria klasifikace   genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• bakteriociny biosyntéza   MeSH
• druhová specificita MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• hostitelská specificita MeSH
• mikrobiota * MeSH
• peří mikrobiologie   MeSH
• ptáci mikrobiologie   MeSH
• RNA ribozomální 16S genetika   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

Bacterial communities within avian nests are considered an important determinant of egg viability, potentially selecting for traits that confer embryos with protection against trans-shell infection. A high bacterial density on the eggshell increases hatching failure, whether this effect could be due to changes in bacterial community or just a general increase in bacterial density. We explored this idea using intra- and interspecific comparisons of the relationship between hatching success and eggshell bacteria characterized by culture and molecular techniques (fingerprinting and high-throughput sequencing). We collected information for 152 nests belonging to 17 bird species. Hatching failures occurred more frequently in nests with higher density of aerobic mesophilic bacteria on their eggshells. Bacterial community was also related to hatching success, but only when minority bacterial operational taxonomic units were considered. These findings support the hypothesis that bacterial density is a selective agent of embryo viability, and hence a proxy of hatching failure only within species. Although different avian species hold different bacterial densities or assemblages on their eggs, the association between bacteria and hatching success was similar for different species. This result suggests that interspecific differences in antibacterial defenses are responsible for keeping the hatching success at similar levels in different species.

• MeSH
• Bacteria klasifikace   genetika   růst a vývoj   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• biodiverzita MeSH
• fenotyp MeSH
• ovum růst a vývoj   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• ptáci klasifikace   růst a vývoj   mikrobiologie   fyziologie   MeSH
• vaječná skořápka mikrobiologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

To assess the importance of wild birds as a reservoir of zoonotic pathogens in Austria and the Czech Republic, we sampled 1,325 wild birds representing 13 orders, 32 families, and 81 species. The majority belonged to orders Columbiformes (43%), Passeriformes (25%), and to birds of prey: Accipitriformes, Strigiformes, and Falconiformes (15%). We collected cloacal swabs from 1,191 birds for bacterial culture and 1,214 triple swabs (conjunctiva, choana, cloaca) for DNA and RNA isolation. The cloacal swabs were processed by classical bacteriologic methods for isolation of Escherichia coli , Salmonella spp., methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and thermophilic Campylobacter spp. Nucleic acids isolated from triple swabs were investigated by PCR for West Nile virus, avian influenza viruses, and Chlamydia spp. We also tested tissue samples from 110 fresh carcasses for Mycobacterium spp. by PCR and we cultured fresh droppings from 114 birds for Cryptococcus spp. The most-frequently detected zoonotic bacteria were thermophilic Campylobacter spp. (12.5%) and Chlamydia spp. (10.3%). From 79.2% of the sampled birds we isolated E. coli , while 8.7% and 0.2% of E. coli isolates possessed the virulence genes for intimin (eaeA) and Shiga toxins (stx1and stx2), respectively. Salmonella spp. were rarely found in the sampled birds (2.2%), similar to findings of MRSA (0.3%). None of the samples were positive for Cryptococcus neoformans , Mycobacterium spp., avian influenza viruses, or West Nile virus.

• MeSH
• Campylobacter izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• divoká zvířata * MeSH
• Escherichia coli izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• methicilin rezistentní Staphylococcus aureus izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• ptáci mikrobiologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• Rakousko MeSH

BACKGROUND: Babesiosis is an emerging and potentially zoonotic disease caused by tick-borne piroplasmids of the Babesia genus. New genetic variants of piroplasmids with unknown associations to vectors and hosts are recognized. Data on the occurrence of Babesia spp. in ticks and wildlife widen the knowledge on the geographical distribution and circulation of piroplasmids in natural foci. Questing and rodent-attached ticks, rodents, and birds were screened for the presence of Babesia-specific DNA using molecular methods. Spatial and temporal differences of Babesia spp. prevalence in ticks and rodents from two contrasting habitats of Slovakia with sympatric occurrence of Ixodes ricinus and Haemaphysalis concinna ticks and co-infections of Candidatus N. mikurensis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum were investigated. RESULTS: Babesia spp. were detected in 1.5 % and 6.6 % of questing I. ricinus and H. concinna, respectively. Prevalence of Babesia-infected I. ricinus was higher in a natural than an urban/suburban habitat. Phylogenetic analysis showed that Babesia spp. from I. ricinus clustered with Babesia microti, Babesia venatorum, Babesia canis, Babesia capreoli/Babesia divergens, and Babesia odocoilei. Babesia spp. amplified from H. concinna segregated into two monophyletic clades, designated Babesia sp. 1 (Eurasia) and Babesia sp. 2 (Eurasia), each of which represents a yet undescribed novel species. The prevalence of infection in rodents (with Apodemus flavicollis and Myodes glareolus prevailing) with B. microti was 1.3 % in an urban/suburban and 4.2 % in a natural habitat. The majority of infected rodents (81.3 %) were positive for spleen and blood and the remaining for lungs and/or skin. Rodent-attached I. ricinus (accounting for 96.3 %) and H. concinna were infected with B. microti, B. venatorum, B. capreoli/B. divergens, Babesia sp. 1 (Eurasia), and Babesia sp. 2 (Eurasia). All B. microti and B. venatorum isolates were identical to known zoonotic strains from Europe. Less than 1.0 % of Babesia-positive ticks and rodents carried Candidatus N. mikurensis or A. phagocytophilum. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that I. ricinus and rodents play important roles in the epidemiology of zoonotic Babesia spp. in south-western Slovakia. Associations with vertebrate hosts and the pathogenicity of Babesia spp. infecting H. concinna ticks need to be further explored.

• MeSH
• Babesia izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• divoká zvířata mikrobiologie   MeSH
• hlodavci mikrobiologie   parazitologie   MeSH
• klíšťata mikrobiologie   MeSH
• klíště mikrobiologie   MeSH
• prevalence MeSH
• ptáci mikrobiologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Slovenská republika MeSH

A novel rickettsial sequence in the citrate synthase gltA gene indicating a novel Rickettsia species has been detected in 7 out of 4524 Ixodes ricinus ticks examined within several surveys performed in the Czech Republic from 2005 to 2009. This new Candidatus Rickettsia sp. sequence has been found in 2 nymphs feeding on wild birds (Luscinia megarhynchos and Erithacus rubecula), in a male tick from vegetation, and 4 ticks feeding on a dog (3 males, 1 female tick). Portions of the ompA, ompB, sca4, and htrA genes were not amplifiable in these samples. A maximum likelihood tree of rickettsiae based on comparisons of partial amino acid sequences of citrate synthase and nucleotide sequences of 16S rDNA genes and phylogenetic analysis revealed a basal position of the novel species in the proximity of R. bellii and R. canadensis. The novel species has been named 'Candidatus Rickettsia mendelii' after the founder of genetics, Gregor Mendel.

• MeSH
• bakteriální proteiny genetika   MeSH
• citrátsynthasa genetika   MeSH
• epidemiologické monitorování MeSH
• fylogeneze * MeSH
• infestace klíšťaty epidemiologie   parazitologie   veterinární   MeSH
• klíště genetika   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nemoci přenášené klíšťaty diagnóza   epidemiologie   parazitologie   veterinární   MeSH
• nymfa genetika   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• psi MeSH
• ptáci mikrobiologie   parazitologie   MeSH
• Rickettsia klasifikace   genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• rickettsiové infekce epidemiologie   mikrobiologie   veterinární   MeSH
• RNA ribozomální 16S genetika   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• psi MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika epidemiologie   MeSH

Effects of vertebrate-associated microbiota on physiology and health are of significant interest in current biological research. Most previous studies have focused on host-microbiota interactions in captive-bred mammalian models. These interactions and their outcomes are still relatively understudied, however, in wild populations and non-mammalian taxa. Using deep pyrosequencing, we described the cloacal microbiome (CM) composition in free living barn swallows Hirundo rustica, a long-distance migratory passerine bird. Barn swallow CM was dominated by bacteria of the Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria and Firmicutes phyla. Bacteroidetes, which represent an important proportion of the digestive tract microbiome in many vertebrate species, was relatively rare in barn swallow CM (< 5%). CM composition did not differ between males and females. A significant correlation of CM within breeding pair members is consistent with the hypothesis that cloacal contact during within-pair copulation may promote transfer of bacterial assemblages. This effect on CM composition had a relatively low effect size, however, possibly due to the species' high level of sexual promiscuity.

• MeSH
• bakteriální RNA MeSH
• biodiverzita MeSH
• chov MeSH
• kloaka mikrobiologie   MeSH
• metagenom MeSH
• migrace zvířat * MeSH
• mikrobiota * MeSH
• ptáci mikrobiologie   MeSH
• RNA ribozomální 16S genetika   MeSH
• vysoce účinné nukleotidové sekvenování MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

Full-length tlyA gene and its adjacent genetic loci from the urease-positive thermophilic Campylobacter (UPTC) CF89-12 [approximately 15,000 base pairs (bp) in length], as well as a reference strain Campylobacter lari RM2100 (approximately 9,000 bp), were analyzed. The possible open-reading frame of tlyA from UPTC CF89-12 was shown to have 720 bp with a calculated molecular mass of approximately 26.7 kDa. Using a primer pair designed in silico, a total of approximately 1.1 kbp consisting of putative promoter region, structural gene for tlyA, and its adjacent genetic loci were identified in all 17 C. lari isolates [n = 13 for UPTC; n = 4 for urease-negative (UN) C. lari]. Although sequence differences were demonstrated at approximately 20 loci within the 90 bp non-coding (NC) region, including the putative promoter structure candidates immediately upstream of the tlyA gene among the 18 isolates including C. lari RM2100, no sequence differences were identified within the NC region among the five UN C. lari isolates examined. A start codon ATG and a probable ribosome-binding site, AGGC(T)GG(A), for the tlyA gene were identified in all 18 isolates, including C. lari RM2100. The putative intrinsic ρ-independent transcriptional terminator structure candidate was also identified for the tlyA gene in both UPTC CF89-12 and C. lari RM2100. Additionally, the hemolysis assay was performed with some of the C. lari isolates. The tlyA gene nucleotide sequence data may possibly be useful for discrimination between UN C. lari and UPTC organisms, as well as for the differentiation among the four thermophilic Campylobacter species.

• MeSH
• bakteriální proteiny chemie   genetika   MeSH
• Campylobacter lari chemie   klasifikace   genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• hemolyziny chemie   genetika   MeSH
• kampylobakterové infekce mikrobiologie   veterinární   MeSH
• kur domácí mikrobiologie   MeSH
• mikrobiologie životního prostředí MeSH
• mlži mikrobiologie   MeSH
• molekulární sekvence - údaje MeSH
• otevřené čtecí rámce MeSH
• promotorové oblasti (genetika) MeSH
• ptáci mikrobiologie   MeSH
• sekvence aminokyselin MeSH
• sekvence nukleotidů MeSH
• sekvenční seřazení MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

Coraciiform birds hoopoe (Upupa epops), common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) and European roller (Coracius garrulus) were examined for enterococci in their cloacae and uropygial glands. The enterococcal isolates were identified at the species level using several genomic and proteomic methods, screened for antibiotic susceptibility and genotyped by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Clonality of isolates from the common kingfisher was also assessed by multi-locus sequence typing (MLST). Using selective media, putative enterococcal isolates (n = 117) were recovered from 74% (32 out of a total of 43) of the bird samples and 114 isolates were confirmed as enterococci. Overall, among the total of 6 different species detected, Enterococcus faecalis was dominant (59%) in all three bird species. The second most frequently isolated species was Enterococcus casseliflavus (32%). PFGE revealed great diversity of strains from different bird species and anatomic location. Closely related strains were found only from nestlings from the same nest. No genes conferring resistance to vancomycin (vanA, vanB, vanC1 and van C2/C3) or erythromycin (erm A, ermB and mefA/E) were detected. MLST analysis and eBURST clustering revealed that sequence types of E. faecalis from the common kingfisher were identical to those of isolates found previously in water, chickens, and humans.

• MeSH
• antibakteriální látky farmakologie   MeSH
• biodiverzita * MeSH
• Enterococcus klasifikace   účinky léků   genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• mikrobiální testy citlivosti MeSH
• molekulární sekvence - údaje MeSH
• multilokusová sekvenční typizace MeSH
• prevalence MeSH
• ptáci mikrobiologie   MeSH
• pulzní gelová elektroforéza MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH