Antimicrobial resistance phenotypes of E. coli from livestock and wildlife in Wyoming, U.S.A

This study investigated antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Escherichia coli from both livestock and free-ranging wildlife in agricultural regions of Wyoming (USA). Researchers analyzed 181 bacterial isolates and found that AMR was significantly more common in livestock than in wildlife, particularly for antibiotics such as ampicillin, tetracycline, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and florfenicol. Wildlife generally showed much lower resistance levels, although a small number of wildlife isolates were resistant to multiple drugs. No clear clustering of resistant strains by location or host type was detected. Overall, the study suggests that while wildlife currently appears to carry relatively low levels of resistant bacteria, the presence of some resistant strains and the higher resistance in livestock underline the importance of continued AMR surveillance across both livestock and wildlife within a One Health context.