Escherichia Species Diversity Across Pristine and Impacted Catchments: Evidence for Avian Sources of Escherichia marmotae in Aotearoa/New Zealand.

ABSTRACT: A total of 1347 Escherichia isolates from water, soil, sediment, biofilm, and faecal samples (n = 413) across five pristine (native forest) and five impacted (pastoral or urban) sites were subtyped into E. coli phylotypes and non-E. coli Escherichia spp. (Escherichia marmotae, Escherichia ruysiae and Escherichia whittamii). Impacted sites showed a higher prevalence of E. coli, particularly the ruminant-associated phylotype B1, across water, biofilm, sediment, and mammalian faeces. In contrast, E. marmotae (189 isolates) were more common in pristine sites and avian faeces, with a prevalence of 28.7%. Metabarcoding of the hypervariable gene gnd further revealed that Escherichia population diversity was greatest in aquatic environments (water, sediment, biofilm). Escherichia population divers

SUBMITTER: Cookson AL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12826111 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature