Fecal carriage of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli in South American camelids and biosecurity practices among farms in northern Italy

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Abstract South American camelids (SACs), particularly llamas (Lama glama) and alpacas (Vicugna pacos) are gaining popularity in Europe. Initially valued for their fiber and land management capabilities, these animals are now also kept for animal therapy, outdoor activities, and as companion animals. Despite their close interactions with humans and other animals, there is limited research on the transmission of microbes or antimicrobial resistance genes from SACs. This study aimed to survey the fecal carriage of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase ESBL-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL- E. coli) in SACs. A questionnaire was administered on-site to the farmers to survey management and biosecurity measures. Twelve farms from northern Italy (Lombardy, Piedmont, Veneto, and Emilia-Romagna) participated in the study. Fecal samples were analyzed to identify ESBL- E. coli and subjected to bacteriological culture on CHROMagar™ ESBL plates. Isolate identification was accomplished by MALDI-TOF MS, then subjected to the double-disk synergy test (DDST) and examined for 3 ESBL-encoding genes (bla CTX−M, bla TEM, bla SHV) via PCR analysis. A total of 125 SACs (19 llamas and 106 alpacas) were included. Four (3.2%) of these animals were positive for ESBL- E. coli. Two isolates carried the bla CTX−M gene; one had both bla CTX−M and bla TEM, and one was negative for all ESBL-encoding genes. Furthermore, none of the ESBL- E. coli isolates tested positive for the bla SHV gene. Several data from our questionnaire revealed a lack of biosecurity protocols, which aligns with other studies. The prevalence of ESBL-producing bacteria identified in this study was lower than in different other studies. Despite the low biosecurity levels observed on the SAC farms, our findings showed a low occurrence of ESBL- E. coli and a low carriage rate of multidrug-resistant (MDR) ESBL- E. coli.

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