Investigating the evolving resistome of different migratory bird species

抗药性细菌是全球最紧迫的健康问题之一。虽然这个问题在一定程度上是由医疗和兽医领域数十年的抗生素滥用造成的，但抗生素的使用本身并不能解释抗生素耐药性现象的所有复杂性。事实上，在没有人类存在的情况下，人们可以在全球许多地区发现抗药性细菌，例如北极的某些地区。怎么解释这一点呢？我们试图通过调查候鸟在抗生素耐药细菌传播中可能扮演的角色来回答这个问题。我们几年前就知道，许多鸟类携带抗药性细菌。由于这些动物在人类密度不同和暴露于耐药细菌风险不同的环境之间移动，我们有必要问问自己，这些鸟类是否可能有助于抗生素耐药性的传播。为了回答这个问题，我们将研究加拿大各地不同的候鸟物种，以评估它们是否携带抗药性细菌，鸟类中存在抗药性细菌的风险因素是什么，以及导致细菌抗药性的基因是否可以在人类之间传播。

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria represent one of the most pressing global health issues. While this problem is in part caused by decades of antibiotic abuse in the medical and veterinary realms, antibiotic usage alone does not explain all of the complexity of the phenomenon that is antibiotic resistance. Indeed, one can find antibiotic-resistant bacteria in numerous areas of the globe without human presence, such as certain regions of the Arctic. How can one explain this? We attempt to answer this question by investigating the role that migratory birds may play in the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. We have known for several years that numerous bird species carry resistant bacteria. And since these animals move between environments with variable human densities and exposure risks to resistant bacteria, it is pertinent to ask ourselves whether these birds may contribute to the dissemination of antibiotic resistance. In order to answer this question, we will study different migratory bird species across Canada to assess whether they carry antibiotic-resistant bacteria, what are the risk factors associated with the presence of resistant bacteria in birds, and whether the genes responsible for antibiotic resistance in bacteria can be transmitted to and from humans.