A One Health assessment of antimicrobial-resistant Enterobacterales in migratory little stints (Calidris minuta) and aquatic ecosystems in the Kenyan Rift Valley

A One Health assessment reveals that antimicrobial-resistant Enterobacterales, including multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing strains, are pervasive in migratory little stints (Calidris minuta) and aquatic ecosystems across the Kenyan Rift Valley. The study identified high resistance to ampicillin (50%) and a predominant MDR phenotype combining resistances to ampicillin, tetracycline, and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim. Enterobacter spp and Escherichia coli were the most prevalent genera among 294 isolates from fecal samples of birds foraging at Lakes Bogoria and Magadi, as well as peripheral freshwater sources shared with humans, livestock, and wildlife. Notably, resistant strains showed no significant differences across study areas or anthropogenic pressures, suggesting widespread dissemination regardless of environmental conditions. This is the first study linking C. minuta to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) epidemiology, highlighting the need for their inclusion in AMR surveillance and further investigation using whole-genome sequencing to trace strain origins.

Mbuthia, C. W., Too, R. J., Mzula, A., Imboma, T. S., Kiiru, J., Kariuki, S., & Hoza, A. S. (2026). A One Health assessment of antimicrobial-resistant Enterobacterales in migratory little stints (Calidris minuta) and aquatic ecosystems in the Kenyan Rift Valley. PLOS One, 21(3), e0336315. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0336315