ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE IN COMMENSAL AND PATHOGENIC BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM WILD BOAR MEAT IN CAMPANIA REGION, SOUTHERN ITALY

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major public health threat globally. The consumption of animal products including meat contaminated with resistant bacteria is one of the avenues through which resistant bacteria can spread from animals to humans. Wild boars (Sus scrofa) represent one of the most important edible game species in Italy and the rest of Europe, and AMR surveillance along their meat production value chain is essential in ensuring food safety. Methods: This study aimed to unravel the AMR profiles of commensal and pathogenic bacteria isolated from wild boar carcass swabs from three provinces of Campania, to provide an insight into the potential role wild boar meat may play in the transmission of AMR to humans. The Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion test was applied to screen 205 isolates of 30 genera of bacteria against a selected panel of commonly used antibiotics. Isolates that showed resistance to third generation cephalosporins were further subjected to the double disk diffusion for phenotypic confirmation of extended spectrum beta lactamase (EsβL) production and shot-gun sequencing was performed for isolates that showed a multidrug resistance pattern. Results: Antibiotic resistance was recorded in 29 of the 30 genera and 154 of the 205 strains of bacteria tested, which comprised both commensal and pathogenic bacteria, with resistance to penicillins, monobactams and fluoroquinolones being the most frequently detected. Furthermore, 22.44% of the isolates were multidrug resistant, 31.55% ESβL producers and 0.98% pan-drug resistant. The World Health Organization top priority organisms were detected, including in the critical group; Carbapenem resistant Pseudomonas and carbapenem resistant and third generation cephalosporin resistant Enterobacteriaceae, in the high priority group, vancomycin resistant Enterococcus and medium priority penicillin resistant Streptococcus. Conclusion: Our results indicate a significant presence of antibiotic resistant bacteria in wild boar carcasses, raising a critical food safety concern. Efforts to combat AMR must extend to include comprehensive surveillance and regulation within its production and distribution systems.