Anthropogenic gradients shape Staphylococcus/Mammaliicoccus communities: Bacterial composition and resistance patterns as indicators of landscape hemeroby

Exploring the impact of human activity on bacterial communities and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns, this study sought to examine the relationship between landscape diversity and the degree of hemeroby. By collecting submandibular lymph nodes from deer and swine, researchers analyzed the bacterial composition and resistance profiles using selective culture and the VITEK 2 Compact automated system.

The results indicated that natural landscapes exhibited greater bacterial diversity, with a dominance of Mammaliicoccus sciuri and pan-susceptible isolates of Staphylococcus hyicus, along with a low-level, heterogeneous AMR profile. In contrast, more anthropogenically impacted landscapes were characterized by the prevalence of Staphylococcus epidermidis, a species adapted to humans, and a heightened AMR profile reflecting increased antimicrobial pressure from both public health and veterinary sources.

While limited to two study sites, the findings propose that human influence can be discerned through both bacterial and AMR profiles. Specifically, a high abundance of mammaliicocci and a heterogeneous AMR profile may signify naturalness, while the dominance of a human-adapted bacterium and an accumulation of features indicative of medical environments likely denote higher degrees of hemeroby.