Distribution and association of antimicrobial resistance and virulence traits in Escherichia coli isolates from healthy waterfowls in Hainan, China

There are rising concerns about microbes harboring antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and virulence-associated genes (VAGs) in humans and food-producing animals. Moreover, ARGs are considered as emerging environmental pollutants, posing probable life-threatening complications in humans and animals. Commensal Escherichia coli (E. coli) strain can carry a large number of VAGs, which may become opportunistic pathogen. The objective of this study...