Work

Isolation of Drug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa from a Species of Endangered Rodent in Japan

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen widely distributed in the environment, but its occurrence in wildlife remains poorly understood. We isolated P. aeruginosa from the lung of a Ryukyu Islands tree rat (Diplothrix legata) that was rescued near the Yanbaru Forest, a World Natural Heritage Site. The drug resistance tests revealed that the isolate was resistant to three types of fluoroquinolones, and the genome analysis showed the isolate carried a total of 61 drug resistance genes. This study is the first to isolate drug-resistant P. aeruginosa from wildlife in Japan, indicating a need for AMR surveillance of the environment by drug-resistant bacteria.

Source: EcoHealth

DOI: 10.1007/s10393-026-01822-5

Authors: Kei Nabeshima, Atsushi Haga, Takashi Nagamine, Nakaya Yumiko, Manabu Onuma

Institution: National Institute for Environmental Studies

Language: English

Topic: Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria

Subfield: Molecular Medicine

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,790