A One Health assessment of antimicrobial-resistant Enterobacterales in migratory little stints (Calidris minuta) and aquatic ecosystems in the Kenyan Rift Valley

This study shows that migratory little stint can carry and spread antimicrobial-resistant bacteria across regions. Researchers sampled bird feces and shared water sources at two Kenyan lakes with different levels of human activity.

• A wide range of bacteria was found, mainly Enterobacter spp. and Escherichia coli.
• Resistance was common—especially to ampicillin—while last-resort drugs like meropenem remained largely effective.
• Around 13% of isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR), with similar proportions showing extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) traits.
• Resistance patterns were consistent across locations and time points, suggesting AMR is widespread in the environment, not limited to high human impact areas.

Key implication:
Migratory birds can act as global vectors of AMR, highlighting the need to include wildlife in surveillance systems and to use genomic tools to track how resistance spreads across borders.