Genomic characterization and multidrug resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from peregrine falcons in Saudi Arabia: A One Health perspective

Vet World Vol.18 July-2025 Article - 17

Research Article

Veterinary World, 18(7): 1964-1971

https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2025.1964-1971

Ali Wahdan¹

, Mahmoud Mohamed²

, Mahmoud M. Elhaig³

, Mohammed Al-Rasheed², and Ehab M. Abd-Allah⁴

1. Department of Bacteriology, Immunology, and Mycology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.

2. Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.

3. Department of Animal Medicine (Infectious Diseases), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.

4. Veterinary Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.

Background and Aim: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a multidrug-resistant (MDR) zoonotic pathogen increasingly implicated in infections in both humans and animals, including avian species. Raptors, particularly peregrine falcons, are vulnerable due to their exposure to diverse environments and intensive management practices. This study aimed to identify P. aeruginosa isolates from peregrine falcons in Saudi Arabia and to characterize their genomic features, phylogenetic relationships, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profiles using whole-genome sequencing (WGS).

Materials and Methods: Eighty cloacal swabs were collected from adult peregrine falcons showing clinical signs of gastrointestinal distress and housed in falconry facilities in Eastern Saudi Arabia between 2022 and 2024. Samples underwent bacteriological culture, biochemical identification using the Vitek 2 system, and WGS of a representative isolate. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis, phylogenetic comparison, and resistance gene profiling were conducted using standard bioinformatic tools and the Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database and PubMLST databases.

Results: Sixteen isolates (20%) were confirmed as P. aeruginosa through biochemical identification and BLAST analysis. One representative isolate underwent WGS and revealed a 6.0 Mbp genome with close phylogenetic relatedness (92% bootstrap) to a human-derived P. aeruginosa strain (CP050326), with a 4% genetic divergence. The MLST profile included allele numbers acsA (23), aroE (29), guaA (1), mutL (3), nuoD (1), ppsA (15), and trpE (9). Resistance genes identified included β-lactamase PAO-type (blaPAO), Class D β-lactamase OXA-type (variants 485 and 488) (blaOXA-485/488), aminoglycoside 3′-phosphotransferase type IIb (aph(3′)-IIb), glutathione transferase FosA (fosA), and chloramphenicol acetyltransferase type B7 (catB7), indicating MDR to beta-lactams, aminoglycosides, fosfomycin, and chloramphenicol.

Conclusion: This is the first report of WGS-characterized, MDR P. aeruginosa in falcons from Saudi Arabia. The genomic similarity to human strains highlights the zoonotic potential and One Health implications. These findings emphasize the urgent need for integrated AMR surveillance in wildlife, especially in regions with widespread falconry practices. WGS offers valuable molecular insights for pathogen tracking, resistance monitoring, and epidemiological risk assessment. Broader genomic surveillance across bird species and regions is necessary to guide control strategies and reduce the risks of zoonotic transmission.

Keywords: antimicrobial resistance, falcons, One Health, phylogenetics, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, whole-genome sequencing.

How to cite this article: Wahdan A, Mohamed M, Elhaig MM, Al-Rasheed M, and Abd-Allah EM (2025) Genomic characterization and multidrug resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from peregrine falcons in Saudi Arabia: A One Health perspective, Veterinary World, 18(7):1964-1971.

Received: 24-03-2025 Accepted: 13-06-2025 Published online: 22-07-2025

Corresponding author: Ali Wahdan and Mahmoud Mohamed E-mail: ali.wahdan@vet.suez.edu.eg and mhmohammad@kfu.edu.sa

DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2025.1964-1971

Copyright: Wahdan, et al. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.