Antimicrobial Resistant Escherichia Coli in Scottish Wild Deer: Prevalence and Risk Factors

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a recognised threat to global health. Obtaining data on the prevalence of AMR in environmental bacteria is key to understanding drivers and routes of transmission. Here, 325 Shiga toxin negative deer faecal samples—gathered from across the Scottish mainland—were screened for the presence of AMR Escherichia coli and investigated for potential risk factors associated with AMR occurrence.

Overall, resistance to critically important antimicrobials was found to be low in the studied population, suggesting no immediate cause for concern regarding human health. Utilising existing culling frameworks, wild deer in Scotland could function well as a sentinel species for the surveillance of AMR in the Scottish environment.