Audouin’s gull, a potential vehicle of an extended spectrum β-lactamase producing Salmonella Agona.. Salmonella Agona

The genome of a multidrug resistant Salmonella Agona isolated from Larus audouinii (Audouin’s gull) in Spain was examined. The isolate showed high levels of resistance to different antimicrobials, including cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones (FQ). Whole genome sequencing revealed the strain being multilocus sequence type ST13, and nine resistance genes (aac(6´)-ly, aadA2, aadB, blaCTX-M-9, blaDHA-1, qnrA1, tet(A), sul1 and dfrA16) belonging to eight antimicrobial classes were confirmed, as well as the presence of three plasmids. The finding of this isolate showing resistance to first line antimicrobials used to treat severe salmonellosis in humans (extended spectrum beta-lactamase producer with resistance to FQ) is of concern. Migratory Audouin’s gulls have the ability to cover long distances during annual movements. Therefore they have the potential to disseminate multidrug resistant Salmonella and resistance genes in the environment and over great geographic distances, contributing to the global dissemination of resistance.