Presence of Resistant Enterobacteriaceae in Poultry and Synanthropic Birds of an Urban Context of Social Farming in Southern Italy

Social Farming promotes mental and physical health, social inclusion, education and recreational services through agricultural and animal-related activities. The expansion of Social Farming draws attention to its potential health risks, although information on the role of animals and environments as reservoirs of pathogenic or resistant bacteria within Social Farming contexts is still limited. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the presence of potential zoonotic enterobacteria (e.g., Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Salmonella spp.) and their antibiotic-resistance profiles from animals and environmental samples within a Social Farming context in Naples. Samples were collected from 76 animals belonging to 5 species and from 16 environmental surfaces. Bacteriological investigations included isolation of Enterobacteriaceae, identification through MALDI-TOF, and antibiotic susceptibility testing. The most frequently isolated species were E. coli and Klebsiella spp., both from animal (73.7% and 44.7%, respectively) and environmental samples (56.3% and 43.8%, respectively). Notably, 96.9% of tested strains were resistant to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid. These findings suggest that poultry, synanthropic birds and environmental surfaces within a Social Farming context might harbor potentially pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Thus, continuous monitoring, good hygiene, and proper management are required strategies to preserve the health of users, especially vulnerable populations such as children.