The close contact between dogs and humans creates the best bridge for interspecies transmission of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. The surveillance of its resistance including the detection of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) in Escherichia coli as indicator bacteria is an important tool to control the use of antimicrobials. The aim of this research was to evaluate the E. coli resistance in strains by phenotypic methods, isolated from pet and stray dogs of La Plata city, Argentina. Faecal samples were collected using rectal swabs from 50 dogs with owners (home dogs = HD) and 50 homeless dogs (stray dogs = SD). They were cultured in 3 MacConkey agar plates, with and without antibiotics (ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime). 197 strains were isolated, of which only 95 strains were biochemically identified as E. coli, 46 strains were from HD, and 49 were from SD. Antimicrobial susceptibility was evaluated by the Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method. The most prevalent resistance was for tetracycline, streptomycin, and ampicillin. In both groups, the level of resistance to 3rd generation cephalosporins was high, and there were multiresistant strains. There was a higher level of antimicrobial resistance in strains from SD compared to HD. There were 8% of strains suspected of being ESBLs among samples of HD and 36% of SD. One (2%) of the strains isolated from HD and 11 (22%) from SD were phenotypically confirmed as ESBL. Pets and stray dogs are a potential source of E. coli antibiotic resistance in Argentina; therefore, its surveillance must be guaranteed.

Staphylococcus aureus is the major subclinical mastitis-causing pathogen in dairy cows. In some European and Latin American countries, rifaximin (RIF) is a commonly used therapy at drying off. Phytotherapeutics are alternatives for the treatment of infectious diseases. Melaleuca armillaris essential oil (EO) has been reported as a good antimicrobial against S. aureus. The aim of this work was to investigate, in vitro, the combined effect of EO and RIF to identify a synergic interaction against S. aureus in order to obtain enough information for subsequent pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic studies. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) for RIF, EO, and combinations of these against S. aureus strains were determined at pH 7.4, 6.5, and 5.0, representing intracellular conditions where S. aureus is usually located. The fractional inhibitory concentration index (FIC) and the index of antibacterial activity (E) were evaluated. The MIC of EO at pH 7.4 was 25-12.5 µL/mL and decreased with the acidity of the medium. RIF presented a high antimicrobial activity (0.032 µg/mL) against S. aureus regardless of the pH conditions. Combining RIF with EO, we found a synergic effect. A mix of 0.004 µg/mL of RIF and 12.5 µL/mL of EO led to a virtual eradication effect against wild-type strains at pH 7.4. Media acidification improves the EO/RIF activity, so EO would be a good adjuvant for RIF to treat staphylococcal infections and decrease antimicrobial resistance.

Essential oils (EO) are a great antimicrobial resource against bacterial resistance in public health. Math models are useful in describing the growth, survival, and inactivation of microorganisms against antimicrobials. We evaluated the antimicrobial activity of Melaleuca armillaris EO obtained from plants placed in the province of Buenos Aires (Argentina) against Staphylococcus aureus. The minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations were close and decreased, slightly acidifying the medium from pH 7.4 to 6.5 and 5.0. This result was also evidenced by applying a sigmoid model, where the time and EO concentration necessaries to achieve 50% of the maximum effect decreased when the medium was acidified. Moreover, at pH 7.4, applying the Gompertz model, we found that subinhibitory concentrations of EO decreased the growth rate and the maximum population density and increased the latency period concerning the control. Additionally, we established physicochemical parameters for quality control and standardization of M. armillaris EO. Mathematical modeling allowed us to estimate key parameters in the behavior of S. aureus and Melaleuca armillaris EO at different pH. This is interesting in situations where the pH changes are relevant, such as the control of intracellular infections in public health or the development of preservatives for the food industry.