Pet animals as reservoirs of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria: Review

Abstract

Pet animal numbers have substantially increased in modern society and attention is increasingly devoted to pet welfare. Because of these changes, antimicrobial agents are frequently used in small animal veterinary practice, often including antimicrobial preparations used in human medicine, with heavy use of broad-spectrum agents such as aminopenicillins plus clavulanic acid, cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones. Several longitudinal studies conducted at veterinary hospitals have indicated that resistance to various antimicrobial agents has emerged amongst pet animal isolates of Staphylococcus intermedius, Escherichia coli and other bacteria, including species with a potential for zoonotic transmission and resistance phenotypes of clinical interest, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant enterococci and multidrug-resistant Salmonella Typhimurium DT104. Based on a review of the current literature, the role of pets in the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance has been given little attention when compared with that of food animals. A marked contrast is evident between the current policies on antimicrobial usage in food and companion animals. Apart from a few countries where limited data on antimicrobial usage and occurrence of resistance in bacteria from pet animals are provided, national surveillance programmes only focus on food animals. However, data on pet animals are clearly needed for guiding antimicrobial use policy in small animal veterinary practice as well as for assessing the risk of transmission of antimicrobial resistance to humans.

Incidence of bacterial pathogens in equine uterine swabs, their antibiotic resistance patterns, and selected reproductive indices in English thoroughbred mares during the foal heat cycle

“…However, more frequent are studies which compare their results on antibiotic resistance with those published previously. In such cases one must consider the fact that resistance to antibiotics is a complex problem involving various bacterial species, various mechanisms of pathogen resistance and transfer as well individual characteristics of the susceptible host (Guardabassi et al 2004). Nevertheless, compared to our results, very similar findings on antibiotic resistance of bacteria to commonly used antibiotics such as penicillin, gentamicin, tetracycline and entrogloxacin were presented by Frontoso et al (2008).…”

Detection of virulence and antimicrobial resistance genes in Escherichia coli isolates from diarrhoiec dogs in Iran

“…Treatment of companion animals especially dogs with antibacterial agents such as β-lactams, fluoroquinolones, potentiated sulfonamides, etc., in suspected cases of bacterial infection, is often practiced by veterinary clinicians and non-veterinarians, especially in countries where there are no strict regulations for the use of these drugs in animals (Bradford 2001, Guardabassi et al 2004, Abatcha et al 2014, Torkan et al 2015. This resulted in increased detection of antibacterial-resistant E. coli both pathogenic and non-pathogenic strains, in companion animals worldwide (Hammermueler et al 1995, Bradford 2001, Guardabassi et al 2004, Ewers et al 2012.…”

“…This resulted in increased detection of antibacterial-resistant E. coli both pathogenic and non-pathogenic strains, in companion animals worldwide (Hammermueler et al 1995, Bradford 2001, Guardabassi et al 2004, Ewers et al 2012. E. coli develop resistance following prolonged exposure to antibacterial agents especially in sub-therapeutic doses by acquisition of antibacterial resistance genes from other resident commensal or transient pathogens colonising the individual or the environment.…”

Perfil epidemiológico e análise microbiológica da infecção de sítio cirúrgico em pacientes humanos e animais de companhia

“…Entretanto, na atualidade, a resistência antimicrobiana constitui um crítico problema de saúde (Guardabassi et al 2004, Mendes et al 2005, uma vez que tem dificultado a seleção empírica dos antimicrobianos (Hoekstra & Paultron 2002), pois cada vez mais os pacientes são tratados com antibióticos de amplo espectro, sem a certeza da sua real necessidade. Por isso, para evitar sua prescrição inadvertida e seu uso abusivo, o que favorece a seleção de cepas bacterianas resistentes, foram elaborados vários guias, com o objetivo de limitar a emergência de bactérias resistentes e reduzir a taxa de infecção das feridas cirúrgicas (ASHP 1999;Brasil 2001, Guilarde et al 2009 (1) ter sido submetido à internação pré-cirúrgica, (2) ter sido levado ao bloco cirúrgico, (3) ter sofrido incisão em pele ou mucosa e a mesma ter sido fechada antes do paciente deixar o centro cirúr-gico, (4) possuir prontuário preenchido, (5) não ser portador de infecção no ingresso no hospital e (6) ter comparecido ao retorno pós-operatório no ambulatório cirúrgico.…”