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Lemurs acquire drug-resistant bacteria by sharing environment with humans - study
Wild lemurs impacted by farming or tourism harboured more antibiotic-resistant microbes than those from more pristine enviornments.

The closer they live to people, the higher the proporation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. 

Scientists have found antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the guts of lemurs living near humans.

The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Ecology & Evolution, suggests that the more human interaction they have, the more antibiotic-resistant bacteria they harbour.

Researchers hope their findings will have a positive impact on conservation and wildlife management practices.

Study co-author and graduate student Sally Bornbusch, from Duke University, North Carolina, said: “Humans came along, developed antibiotics, spread them all around us, and propagated these resistance genes into natural environments and into the microbiomes of wildlife. Even if these results are slightly scary, they help us use microbiome science to hone veterinary practices and conservation activities.

In the study, researchers sampled dung from ring-tailed lemurs, and sequenced the genes of all microbes found in the dung to find genetic markers for antibiotic resistance.
The project included 10 lemur populations from across Madagascar,  including seven from the wild, two from research facilities, and one kept as pets.

They found that the average proportion of antibiotic-resistant genes was 25 times higher in the guts of animals from research facilities than in wild animals, where the average amount was near zero. Interestingly, the figure was almost 35 times greater in lemurs kept as pets.

Researchers believe the increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria in research lemurs is likely due to the good veterinary care they receive, giving them greater exposure to antibiotics than their wild cousins.

However, pet lemurs that likely never receive veterinary attention harboured the highest number of antibiotic-resistant genes. It is illegal to keep a lemur as a pet in Madagascar, so those that own them are unlikely to take them to a vet.

'These pet lemurs are therefore acquiring the antibiotic-resistant microbes simply by sharing their environment with humans and domestic animals,' researchers said.

Among the wild lemurs, antibiotic resistance varied depending on nearby human activity. Lemurs impacted by farming or tourism harboured more antibiotic-resistant microbes than those from more pristine environments, but still much less than lemurs living close to humans.

Bornbusch said that more research is needed to better understand the impact of these resistance genes on wildlife:

“Right now, we know that these resistance genes are out there, but we don’t know whether they are truly harmful to lemurs. These results give us a stepping-stone for research on the impact of these resistant microbes on wildlife and their environment.”

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.