Antimicrobial susceptibility profile of oral and rectal microbiota of non-human primate species in Ghana: A threat to human health

Abstract

Background: The potential for the transfer of zoonotic diseases, including bacteria between human and non-human primates (NHPs), is expected to rise. It is posited that NHPs that live in close contact with humans serve as sentinels and reservoirs for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Objectives: The objective was to characterize the oral and rectal bacteria in Ghanaian NHPs and profile the antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolated bacteria. Methods: Oral and rectal swabs were obtained from 40 immobilized wild and captive NHPs from 7 locations in Ghana. Standard bacteriological procedures were used in the isolation, preliminary identification, automated characterization and antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST) of bacteria using the Vitek 2 Compact system. Results: Gram-negative bacteria dominated isolates from the rectal swabs (n = 76, 85.4%), whereas Gram-positive bacteria were more common in the oral swabs (n = 41, 82%). Staphylococcus haemolyticus (n = 7, 14%) was the most occurring bacterial species isolated from the oral swabs, whereas Escherichia coli (n = 32, 36%) dominated bacteria isolates from rectal swabs. Enterobacter spp. had the highest (39%) average phenotypic resistance to antimicrobials that were used for AST, whereas a trend of high resistance was recorded against norfloxacin, Ampicillin and Tetracycline in Gram-negative bacteria. Similarly, among Gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus spp. had the highest (25%) average phenotypic resistance to antimicrobials used for AST, and a trend of high resistance was recorded against penicillin G and oxacillin. Conclusions: This study has established that apparently healthy NHPs that live in anthropized environments in Ghana harbour zoonotic and antimicrobial resistant bacteria.