Abstract
The Libyan coast has various types of wetlands that are passed by many migratory birds throughout the year, however, hardly any study is available on the isolation of bacteria from any migratory birds in Libya. This study aimed to isolate enteropathogenic bacterial species from the seagulls migrated to the Libyan coast as well as identification of the antibiotics that are resistant to these bacteria. A total of 50 fresh fecal samples from 50 birds were collected from slender-billed gulls in January 2023 at Farwa Island near the city of Zuwara, in Western Libya. Bacteria were isolated by conventional culturing method, identified using the Enterosystem 18R, and antibiotic susceptibility testing was conducted on the isolated bacteria. The results revealed the isolation of 46 bacteria, but only 32 of them were identified using biochemical tests. These identified bacteria belong to six species of Enterobacteriacae, namely Citrobacter (C.) freundii, Pantoea (P.) agglomerans, Escherichia (E.) coli, Enterobacter (En.) cloacae, Serratia liquifaciens, and Proteus mirabilis, with percentages of 53.125%, 31.25%, 6.25%, 3.125%, 3.125%, and 3.125%, respectively. All isolated bacterial species in this study were 100% sensitive to gentamicin (10 µg) and ciprofloxacin (5 µg). The highest resistance rate was observed against the antibiotic cefoxitin (30 µg), with both C. freundii (5 samples) and P. agglomerans (4 samples). Resistance was observed in 5 samples of C. freundii and 4 samples of P. agglomerans out of 11 samples. Resistance to antibiotics, such as azithromycin (15 µg), ceftriaxone (30 µg), and ampicillin (10 µg), was also noted in a few isolates. The results indicated that C. freundii was the most antibiotic-resistant bacterial species isolated in this study. The highest multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index was demonstrated by bacteria C. freundii, P. agglomerans, and En. cloacae, with a value of 0.33 for each of them. In conclusion, slender-billed gulls carry multi-drug-resistant bacteria. The study recommends the implementation of a national program to survey antibiotic-resistant bacteria, determine their prevalence, and assess the presence of antibiotic residues in animal-derived food, ensuring they comply with acceptable levels. Furthermore, the study advises expanding scientific research, risk analysis, and the search for antibiotic alternatives.