A STUDY by university scientists has shown that swans living in urban waterways could host deadly bacteria that could be harmful to humans.
The study by the University of Galway revealed swans in Dublin and Co Kildare frequently carry antimicrobial resistant bacteria in their guts similar to those that cause difficult-to-treat infections in humans.
The WILD-AMR project adopted a One Health approach to tracking the spread of AMR (antimicrobial resistant pathogens) between human and animals.
The team explored whether wild animals living and feeding in human impacted habitats were potential carriers of AMR. They found a high prevalence of it in swans, with 65% positive for one or more AMR ‘superbug’.
