Antibiotic Resistance and Species Profile of Enterococcus Species in Dogs with Chronic Otitis Externa

Abstract

Otitis externa, a common disease in dogs, has different etiologies. Enterococcus is a Gram-positive bacterium that frequently causes opportunistic ear infections. Here, we determined the distribution of Enterococcus in canine otitis externa via time-of-flight mass spectrometry and biochemical tests and evaluated their resistance patterns to 10 commonly used antibiotics. Among the 197 Enterococcus isolates, E. faecalis (48.7%; 96/197) was the most common, followed by E. faecium (21.3%; 42/197), E. casseliflavus (11.7%; 23/197), E. hirae (10.7%; 21/197), E. avium (3.6%; 7/197), E. gallinarum (2.5%; 5/197), E. canintestini (1.0%; 2/197), and E. durans (0.5%; 1/197). All isolates were tested for antibiotic resistance using the Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method. Enterococcus faecalis strains were highly resistant to erythromycin (45.8%) and rifampin (34.3%) but were generally susceptible to penicillin class antibiotics. In contrast, E. faecium isolates were highly resistant to penicillin class antibiotics (ampicillin, 61.9%; penicillin, 71.4%). Most importantly, E. faecium demonstrated high resistance to most of the antibiotics used in this study. Multidrug resistance was found in 28.4% of the isolates (56/197). This study shows prevalence and antibiotics resistance profiles of Enterococcus species in canine chronic otitis externa. The results can contribute to establish therapeutic strategies of Enterococcus infections and be used as a comparable index of antibiotic resistance of Enterococcus in the future.

Antimicrobial treatment preferences among veterinarians for Golden Retrievers in the United States

“…This finding is in agreement with The Merck Veterinary Manual, 15 which mentioned otitis externa as one of the most common presenting complaints in small animal practice. It is known that single or repeated exposure(s) to antibiotics could increase the level of resistance in pathogenic bacteria in humans and animals 16 if inappropriately used. This heightened resistance underscores the importance of judicious antibiotic use, emphasizing the critical role of susceptibility testing in guiding appropriate antibiotic therapy.…”

Microbiological Survey and Evaluation of Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns of Microorganisms Obtained from Suspect Cases of Canine Otitis Externa in Gran Canaria, Spain

“…Otitis externa is one of the most prevalent pathologies of the ear of dogs worldwide, with prevalence rates ranging from 5 to 20% [ 1 , 2 ]. This disorder is described in the majority of cases as a multifactorial disease, normally associated with a primary damage or alteration of the ear environment caused by various entities, such as foreign bodies, endocrinopathies, autoimmune disease, parasites or allergies [ 3 ], that, in combination with predisposing factors such as breed and ear conformation, facilitate colonization by opportunistic pathogens [ 4 , 5 ].…”

Comparación del tratamiento de fitoterapia vs tratamiento convencional de otitis bacteriana “cocos” en perros

“…El uso tradicional de antibióticos, corticosteroides y terapias sistémicas convencionales como estrategia primordial de tratamiento se encuentra actualmente desafiada por el aumento de la resistencia observada en algunos pacientes hacia estos enfoques terapéuticos (12). En este contexto, la fitoterapia emerge como una prometedora alternativa terapéutica basada en compuestos fitoquímicos naturales con propiedades medicinales.…”