Risk factors for faecal colonisation with Escherichia coli producing extended‐spectrum and plasmid‐mediated AmpC β‐lactamases in dogs

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and risk factors for faecal carriage of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) and plasmidic AmpC β-lactamase (pAmpC) Escherichia coli producers in dogs. A three-month cross-sectional study was conducted and 151 rectal swabs were obtained from healthy dogs. ESBL and pAmpC genes were detected by PCR and were sequenced. Logistic regression models were used to investigate risk factors for the carriage of ESBL and pAmpC-producing E. coli. About 15 per cent of the isolates carried ESBL genes (blaCTX-M-32 n=8, blaCTX-M-15 n=5, blaCTX-M-1 n=3, blaCTX-M-9-like n=4) and 20 per cent carried pAmpC genes (blaCMY-2 n=23, blaCMY-2-like n=2). Thirteen dogs carried an E. coli isolate with both an ESBL and a pAmpC gene. One E. coli isolate harboured the human blaDHA-1 pAmpC gene, which has not been previously reported in companion animals in Europe. Dogs with a history of antimicrobial therapy in the past year had a higher risk of being carriers of ESBL-producing (P=0.003, OR =7.85) and pAmpC-producing (P=0.005, OR=6.28) E. coli. Dogs from shelter/breeders were approximately three times more likely to have an ESBL- or a pAmpC-producing E. coli than dogs from private owners. Males have a reduced risk of carrying a pAmpC-producing E. coli than females (P=0.017, OR =0.28). The knowledge of potential risk factors may help to limit the impact of resistance through implementation of effective control measures and judicious antimicrobial therapy.

Faecal Escherichia coli isolates from healthy dogs harbour CTX-M-15 and CMY-2 β-lactamases

“…CTX-M-15 producing E. coli have also been sporadically reported in healthy dogs (Albrechtova et al, 2014;Belas et al, 2014). In our study, the gene encoding CTX-M-15 (blaCTX-M-15) was detected in E. coli isolates of phylogroup A and sequence types ST617 (ST-Cplx10), ST410 (ST-Cplx23) and ST3944, but the pandemic clone B2-ST131 was not identified.…”

Molecular characterization of quinolone resistance mechanisms and extended-spectrum β-lactamase production in Escherichia coli isolated from dogs

“…CTX-M-15 was found in only one isolate, contrary to the abundance of this gene in the study of Huber et al [35] and in a recent study of non-repetitive ESBL-producing E. coli isolates from dogs, cats and horses from other European countries, in which CTX-M-15 was the predominant ESBL type [10]. It is interesting to note that despite the widespread distribution of this gene among E. coli isolates from humans in Portugal [36], it is still very rare in isolates from companion animals [9], suggesting that either the expansion of E. coli clones among pets or the horizontal gene transmission between human and animal isolates may be slowly occurring. However, the bla CTX-M-32 gene was found in 14 out of 45 E. coli ESBL producers among the gull population in the Porto area [7].…”

“…Most of the current scientific literature reporting the presence of ESBL-producing E. coli in animals has focused on production animals (cattle, swine, rabbits) and wild animals (gulls and birds of prey) [6,7]. However, recent corresponding studies focusing on companion animals have started to be performed [8][9][10][11][12][13]. Since dogs and cats are kept in close contact with their owners, silent within-household transmission of resistant bacteria and resistance genes may occur in either direction by direct contact or, indirectly, through household surfaces and objects contaminated by feces, oral secretions or urine [3,14,15].…”

Risk reduction and management strategies to prevent transmission of infectious disease among dogs at dog shows, sporting events, and other canine group settings

“…For many of these pathogens, dogs in group settings have an elevated risk of infection, compared with dogs in other settings. 76,77 Furthermore, the prevalence of some enteric pathogens, notably endoparasites, varies geographically, in part because of differences in temperature and other environmental conditions important for pathogen survival. [78][79][80] Preventive products for individual dogs such as core vaccines (eg, CDV and CPV-2) and anthelmintics are widely available and are highly effective in preventing many enteric infectious diseases.…”