WildBR: platform for epidemiological and genomic surveillance of bacterial and fungal resistance in Brazilian wildlife

• Grant number: 24/20180-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: February 01, 2025
• End date: January 31, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Nilton Erbet Lincopan Huenuman
• Grantee: Thais Martins Gonçalves
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/10599-3 - The Antimicrobial Resistance Institute of São Paulo (The Aries Project), AP.CEPID

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious global public health problem, which currently extends beyond the hospital settings, representing a threat to One Health, a concept that addresses the spread of bacterial and fungal species between humans, animals, and the environment. In recent years, reports of the presence of multidrug-resistant pathogens in wildlife have underscored the role of fauna as sentinels of anthropogenic activities associated with antimicrobial use and the release of waste from hospitals and communities into the environment. On the other hand, the full extent of AMR's impact on wildlife is still under investigation, with data remaining limited. In this context, the present research project aims to conduct epidemiological and genomic surveillance of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and yeasts of clinical relevance in Brazilian wildlife. The study will collaborate with partner institutions focused on the preservation of Brazilian fauna, and the data obtained will be compiled to create a publicly accessible database containing clinical, microbiological, genomic, epidemiological, and geolocation information. To make the data available, the WildBR platform will be developed within the OneBR domain (http://www.onehealthbr.com/), offering open access to professionals and authorities in the field, aiming to provide information (big data) for the development of policies and solutions for the management antimicrobial resistance in wildlife, within the One Health concept. This pioneering initiative seeks to clarify aspects associated to resistance, virulence, and mobile genetic elements in multidrug-resistant pathogens colonizing or infecting free-living animals in Brazil.