Abstract
Treating infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa is increasingly difficult due to high antibiotic resistance, materialized through the presence of multiple resistance strains, as well as due to rapid development of resistance throughout treatment. The present survey was conducted to investigate the antibiotic susceptibility profile of Pseudomonas aeruginosa pathogens in two University Veterinary hospitals from different geographical regions of Romania (i.e., Southwest Timișoara county and Northeast Iași county) involved in superficial canine infections. A total of 142 swab specimens were collected from dogs with superficial infections (superficial skin infections, otitis externa, and perianal abscess) to assess the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, based on phenotypic and molecular characterization. According to their confirmed morphological and molecular features, 58 samples (40.84%; 58/142) were positive for Pseudomonas aeruginosa (according to their confirmed morphological and molecular features). Antibiotic susceptibility testing for 12 antibiotics was conducted using the Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method. Drug resistance was observed in the case of all tested antibiotics. The susceptibility rate of P. aeruginosa strains that were tested in this study was in the following order: ceftazidime (53.44%; 31/58), followed by aztreonam (51.72%; 30/58), amikacin (44.82%; 26/58), azithromycin (41.37%; 24/58), gentamicin (37.93%; 22/58), cefepime (36.20%; 21/58), meropenem (25.86%; 13/58), piperacillin-tazobactam (25.86%; 13/58), imipenem (22.41%; 13/158), ciprofloxacin (17.24%; 10/58), tobramycin (8.62; 5/58), and polymyxin B (1.72; 1/58). The results highlight the importance of antibiotic susceptibility testing in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from dogs with superficial infections to use an adequate treatment plan to manage the skin condition and other pathologies (otitis externa and perianal abscesses).
Highlights
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an essential pathogen to both humans and animals, but it is rarely involved in primary diseases
A total of 58 (40.86%) bacterial isolates showing typical characteristics of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa species were isolated from superficial infections lesions
The percentage of samples collected from dogs with superficial infections positive for P. aeruginosa was 40.86% (58/142; n = 58)
Summary
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an essential pathogen to both humans and animals, but it is rarely involved in primary diseases. P. aeruginosa is an important opportunistic, nosocomial pathogen, mainly present in hospital-acquired pneumonia cases in immunocompromised patients. The prevalence of P. aeruginosa infections is 11.5% in Europe and 17% in developing countries [1]. P. aeruginosa expresses resistant to antibiotics that can be either acquired (plasmids, transposons) or natural. This resistance generally favors the involvement of P. aeruginosa in nosocomial infections, food poisoning, and biofilm formation, the latter giving P. aeruginosa high colonization potential, the capacity to spoil foodstuffs, and resistance to antiseptics, disinfectants, and antibiotics [2,3]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
