This study was conducted to understand the epidemiology of antimicrobial resistant bacteria transmission between animals, people and environment in the greater greater Serengeti ecosystem.. Antimicrobial resistance of enterobacteriaceae in northern Tanzania

Antibiotic use and bacterial transmission are responsible for the emergence, spread and persistence of antimicrobial-resistant (AR) bacteria, but their relative contribution likely differs across varying socio-economic, cultural, and ecological contexts. To better understand this interaction in a multi-cultural and resource-limited context, we examined the distribution of antimicrobial-resistant enteric bacteria from three ethnic groups in Tanzania. Household-level data (n=425) was collected and bacteria isolated from people, livestock, dogs, wildlife and water sources (n=62,376 isolates). The relative prevalence of different AR phenotypes was similar across all sources. Multi-locus tandem repeat analysis (n=719) and whole-genome sequencing (n=816) of E. coli demonstrated no evidence for host-population subdivision. Multivariable models showed no evidence that veterinary antibiotic use increased the odds of detecting AR bacteria whereas there was a strong association with livelihood factors related to bacterial transmission, demonstrating that to be effective, interventions need to accommodate different cultural practices and resource limitations.