Fecal Carriage of Beta-Lactam-Resistant Escherichia coli Through Pigeon Droppings (Columba palumbus) in Lome, Togo

Aims: The study aimed to report the occurrence of ESBL-Escherichia coli from pigeons.

Study Design and Place and Duration of Study: A total of 16 Samples were collected including eight from residential and eight from commercial pigeon houses from February to July 2024 in Lomé's Golfe district.

Study Design: This forward-looking study took place from February to July 2024 in Lomé's Golfe district, Togo.

Place and Duration of Study: Four samples were collected monthly and per site over six months from four pigeon houses, namely two residential and two commercial pigeon houses.

Methodology: Freshly excreated droppings were collected and inoculated on-site directly into Mac Conkey Agar + 4mg/l of CTX (Cefotaxime) and Mac Conkey Agar + ERT 0,5mg/l of (Ertapenem) media, then into salted peptone water. After 24 h incubation at 37°C, the inoculums were reseeded onto Mac Conkey Agar + 4mg/l of CTX (Cefotaxime) and Mac Conkey Agar + ERT 0,5mg/l of (Ertapenem) media for a further 24 h incubation at 37°C. All colony types obtained on the seeded media were identified at the end of the different incubations using the API 20E gallery. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing E coli isolate were detected by antibiogram using the Kirby-Bauer method.

Results: Of the 96 samples taken, evenly distributed by type of loft, 52 (54.17%) contained ESBL E. coli isolate. No resistance to carbapenems was observed in any of the E coli isolate isolated. Over the study period, from the dry to the rainy season, was observed an increase in the carriage of E coli ESBL in commercial and domestic pigeons, reflecting more frequent dissemination of E coli ESBL isolate as compared to the rainy season than during the dry season.

Conclusion: pigeons are a reservoir for transferring multi-resistant E. coli isolate to humans.