Occurrence of third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Escherichia coli in European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) from a wildlife rescue centre in Lombardy, Northern Italy

Hedgehogs represent a promising indicator for evaluating environmental health. We investigated the occurrence of third-generation cephalosporin-resistant (3GCR) Escherichia coli in intestinal contents from 49 European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) deceased at a Wildlife Rescue Centre in Lombardy, Northern Italy. Bacteriological analysis was performed to isolate 3GCR-E. coli; antimicrobial-resistance (AMR) profiles of the isolates were evaluated by broth dilution (MIC). The presence of blaCTX-M, blaTEM, blaSHV, blaCMY-2genes was assessed by PCR assay. 3GCR-E. coli were detected in 51% of the examined hedgehogs (n = 25/49). The majority of the isolates were multidrug resistant (MDR); resistance was recorded against the β-lactams cefotaxime, cefazolin, and ampicillin in 100% (n = 25/25) of isolates while amoxicillin/clavulanic acid in 52% (n = 13/25). Resistance against enrofloxacin and flumequine was found in 92% (n = 23/25) of isolates and tetracycline in 64% (n = 16/25). All the isolates were susceptible to colistin and florfenicol, and most of them were susceptible to kanamycin (96%, n = 24/25). The most frequently detected resistance gene was blaTEM (52%, n = 13/25), followed by blaSHV (36%, n = 9/25) and blaCTX-M (28%, n = 7/25). Seven isolates carried two ESBL genes, five being blaTEM / blaSHV, and two blaTEM / blaCTX-M. No isolates harbored blaCMY-2 gene. Our study provides the first data on the occurrance of 3GCR-E. coli in European hedgehogs admitted to a wildlife rescue centre in Northern Italy. However, since the sampled animals were not collected through a field-based survey, the findings should not be considered representative of the wider free-ranging population. Nonetheless, resistance profiles and genomic characterization of these isolates provide useful information on AMR circulation in human-impacted environments.