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Surveying Antibiotic Resistance of Gram-Negative Bacteria Isolated from Wild-Caught and Rehabilitated Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas) and Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta) of Florida

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Date Issued:
2024
Abstract/Description:
Antibiotic resistance is a growing concern due to the improper use of antibiotics. Not only is antibiotic resistance increasingly occurring in human populations, but it appears to be spreading in wildlife populations too due to drug overuse and misuse in medicine, farming, and industrial settings, and the subsequent release into watersheds. This project examined the prevalence of antibiotic resistant bacteria in the hindgut microbiome of green (Chelonia mydas) (n=60) and loggerhead (Caretta caretta) (n=57) sea turtles. Hindgut swabs were cultured for gram negative bacteria and exposed to 6 antibiotics. 83.3% of samples were resistant or intermediately resistant to at least one antibiotic, and 27.7% of samples were resistant or intermediately resistant to three antibiotics. This study provides more information regarding the relationship between turtle characteristics and the presence of antibiotic resistance in the hindgut of Florida sea turtles, as well as examine the types of bacteria found in the hindgut.
Title: Surveying Antibiotic Resistance of Gram-Negative Bacteria Isolated from Wild-Caught and Rehabilitated Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas) and Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta) of Florida.
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Name(s): Cortes, Christina M. , author
Milton, Sarah L. , Thesis advisor
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Department of Marine Science and Oceanography
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Created: 2024
Date Issued: 2024
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 92 p.
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: Antibiotic resistance is a growing concern due to the improper use of antibiotics. Not only is antibiotic resistance increasingly occurring in human populations, but it appears to be spreading in wildlife populations too due to drug overuse and misuse in medicine, farming, and industrial settings, and the subsequent release into watersheds. This project examined the prevalence of antibiotic resistant bacteria in the hindgut microbiome of green (Chelonia mydas) (n=60) and loggerhead (Caretta caretta) (n=57) sea turtles. Hindgut swabs were cultured for gram negative bacteria and exposed to 6 antibiotics. 83.3% of samples were resistant or intermediately resistant to at least one antibiotic, and 27.7% of samples were resistant or intermediately resistant to three antibiotics. This study provides more information regarding the relationship between turtle characteristics and the presence of antibiotic resistance in the hindgut of Florida sea turtles, as well as examine the types of bacteria found in the hindgut.
Identifier: FA00014489 (IID)
Degree granted: Thesis (MS)--Florida Atlantic University, 2024.
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Includes bibliography.
Subject(s): Green sea turtles
Loggerhead sea turtles
Sea turtles--Florida
Drug Resistance, Bacterial
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014489
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
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Host Institution: FAU