Few studies have examined long-term trends of antibiotic resistance in pathogens isolated from wildlife populations, yet resistant strains of bacteria are commonly found in marine environments. FAU’s Adam Schaefer studied antibiotic resistance in bottlenose dolphins, which has been significantly increasing over time.

Schaefer obtained pathogens isolated from bottlenose dolphins and found that the overall resistance to at least one antibiotic for these pathogenic isolates was 88.2 percent. “These isolates from dolphins [likely] originated from a source where antibiotics are regularly used, potentially entering the marine environment through human activities or discharges from terrestrial sources,” says Schaefer.

• Matthew Ajemian