Abstract
The antimicrobial susceptibility of Escherichia coli isolates associated with various types of infections in dogs and cats was determined. The studied isolates were most frequently susceptible to fluoroquinolones and the extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESCs), antimicrobials commonly used in treatment of infections in companion animals. However, an increase in the percentage of strains resistant to β-lactam antibiotics including ESCs was noted between January 2007 and December 2013. The frequency of multidrug-resistant (MDR) E. coli isolation (66.8% of isolates) is alarming. Moreover, the statistically significant increase of the percentage of MDR isolates was observed during the study period. No difference in the prevalence of multidrug resistance was found between bacteria causing intestinal and extraintestinal infections and between canine and feline isolates. Nonhemolytic E. coli isolates were MDR more often than hemolytic ones. Our study showed the companion animals in Poland as an important reservoir of MDR bacteria. These results indicate that continuous monitoring of canine and feline E. coli antimicrobial susceptibility is required. Furthermore, introduction and application of recommendations for appropriate use of antimicrobials in small animal practice should be essential to minimize the emergence of multidrug resistance among E. coli in companion animals.
Highlights
The antimicrobial resistance of bacterial pathogens of human and animal origin has been increasing worldwide since antibiotics became used in the 1940s
Results of antimicrobial susceptibility testing of E. coli isolates from clinical samples recovered from dogs and cats are presented in Figure 1
The acquisition of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria has been noted for many years and has become one of the most important therapeutic problems in human and veterinary medicine
Summary
The antimicrobial resistance of bacterial pathogens of human and animal origin has been increasing worldwide since antibiotics became used in the 1940s. The occurrence of MDR bacteria is associated with the extensive use of broad-spectrum antimicrobials in treating human and animal infections [1, 2]. An occurrence of antimicrobial resistant strains in foodproducing and companion animals, which share the same environment and remain in close contact with people, has been demonstrated for various zoonotic pathogens, such as Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, or Campylobacter spp. MDR bacteria have been isolated from many animal species including pigs, cattle, chickens, turkeys, dogs, cats, and rodents [6,7,8]. The possibility of transmission of these bacteria, including pathogenic Escherichia coli, between companion animals and humans has been documented [9, 10]
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