Prevalence and antibiogram of E. coli and Salmonella spp. isolates in small fruits bat (Rousettus leschenaulti) and associated public health risk in Bangladesh

Abstract

Bats are playing significant role to global ecosystem through seed dispersal, pollination and insect control. Bats also act as a career of wide range pathogens including Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli. The current changing trends in natural habitats and deforestation, bats often come in close contact with human, posing threats to public health. Detection of zoonotic pathogens carried by bats is utmost important for understanding disease ecology and for developing preventive measures. Antimicrobial resistance in pathogenic bacteria in free ranging wildlife and environment is a major concern in current decades. Salmonella spp. and E coli are commensal entero-bacteriaceae in a broad range of hosts. They can cause many diseases. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Salmonella spp. and E coli in Rousettus leschenaulti fruit bats in Bangladesh during July and December, 2013. Fresh environmental fecal sample were collected from two roosting sites of Rajbari district in Bangladesh. Samples were collected by using sterile polyvinyl sheet beneath the roosting site with sterile swabs stick and putted in transport media. Samples were transferred in ice eskey and stored 40C. Salmonella spp. (8.17%; N=49) and E coli (34.7%; N=49) were isolated from samples obtained and. These pathogens were significantly more prevalent in the roost close to human vicinity (16% & 48% versus 0% & 20.82 %,). Disk diffusion methods were used to assess antibiogram of isolated pathogens. Both Salmonella spp. and E coli isolates had attained 100% resistance to amoxicillin and erythromycin, however remained sensitive 100% to ciprofloxacin and 70% to Enrofloxacin. The close interface between bat, human and production animal may responsible to have higher prevalence of Sallmonella spp and E coli. The anthropological investigation about the common practices of adjacent community people has revealed a potential public health risk.