Antimicrobial resistance genes in hospitalized harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) in British Columbia

Project Aims: To identify genes that encode for antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and evaluate how those genes change in young harbor seals during treatment and rehabilitation at a wildlife hospital

I.  I will be enrolling ~30 seals in this study over the course of the season. Seals that do not receive antibiotic treatment (ophthalmic treatments don’t count) will serve as a control group.

II.  Each seal enrolled will be sampled at 3 time points: once within 24 hours of admission (generally the next day during admit exam), once 4 weeks from their admit date (roughly a halfway mark), and once within 24 hours of release. At each time point, 2 swabs will be taken: one to be sent to BCCDC, one serves as backup. In summary, 30 seals, 3 time points, 2 swabs each time.

III.  To admit a new pup into the study: must be within 24 hours of admission, and swab will be taken during the physical exam the day after it arrives. Text or talk to Daisy to see if the seal is a good candidate.

**Important Notes**: The first swab for pups in the treatment group must be done BEFORE administering antibiotics!

-       Swab BEFORE taking the seal’s temperature.

-       Pups from Salt Springs will generally not be included unless specified.

 IV.  Once a seal is enrolled, the following information will be recorded on an excel file on the hospital computer desktop. Open “Intake Sheet” and record: seal name and number, admit date, age, 1^st weight, sex, location of rescue, reason for admission, control or treatment group, any medications, & swab dates. Once a sheet is full, start a new one.

 V.  The second swab will take place 4 weeks after the first swab.

 VI. The final swab will take place within 24 hours of release. Daisy likely will no longer be on site once releases start, so she will provide a patient list of final swabs to collect.

Sampling Instructions:

1)    Have someone else restrain for you and first insert swab into PBS solution in vials.

2)    Insert the swab approx. 1 inch into the seal’s rectum. Make a circular motion, ensuring the swab touches all sides of the colon wall. The ideal sample would have a little more than a swab of stool (perhaps a piece of stool) for the purpose of genomic sequencing.

3)    Insert swab with stool sample back into vial. Cut off excess with sterile scissor (wipe with alcohol first) and re-cap lid asap.

4)    Label on tape with seals name and number, gender, “VA”, the date, and “CDC”. 

5)    Must then be stored in -20C freezer immediately! Samples will be picked up at end of the study and they must be transported on ice (dry ice if possible).