Antimicrobial resistance profiles of bacteria associated with lower respiratory tract infections in cats and dogs in England

Mavrides, Daphne E.; Morgan, Alice L.; Na, Jea G.; Graham, Peter A.; McHugh, Timothy D.

Abstract

Background: Bacterial lower respiratory tract infections (bLRTIs) are common and potentially life threatening in cats and dogs. Antibiotic treatment is often initiated before the diagnosis of bLRTI; therefore improved knowledge of the aetiology and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of these infections is essential to inform empiric antibiotic choices. Methods: A retrospective study of microbiological, cytological results and their drug susceptibilities from lower respiratory samples (n=1989) processed in a UK commercial laboratory between 2002 and 2012 was carried out. Results: Thirty-nine per cent of feline samples and 50% of canine samples were positive for bacterial growth with most yielding a single organism (72 % and 69%, respectively). Bordetella bronchiseptica (20.2% from dogs and 2.3% from cats), Pasteurella spp. (23.2%, 31.8%), E. coli (16.2%, 13.6%) and Pseudomonas spp. (11.1%, 11.4%) were most frequently isolated from cytologically positive samples which contained intracellular bacteria (10%, 14%). Amoxycillin-clavulanate, cephalothin, cefovecin, oxytetracycline and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole showed modest in vitro activity against E. coli from dogs (approximately 70% susceptibility). Pseudomonas spp. were resistant to enrofloxacin (50%), ticarcillin (25%) and marbofloxacin (13%) but showed lower or zero resistance to aminoglycosides (approximately 7%) and ciprofloxacin (0%). Multi drug resistance (acquired resistance to three or more antimicrobial drug classes) was particularly common among E. coli isolates, with 23% from feline samples and 43% from canine samples. Conclusion: Resistance to certain first-choice antibiotics was detected in bLRTIs highlighting the need for continued monitoring and sound evidence to inform decision-making in the management of these infections.

Citation

Mavrides, D. E., Morgan, A. L., Na, J. G., Graham, P. A., & McHugh, T. D. (2022). Antimicrobial resistance profiles of bacteria associated with lower respiratory tract infections in cats and dogs in England. Veterinary Record, 190(4), Article e779. https://doi.org/10.1002/vetr.779

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 23, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Aug 11, 2021
• Publication Date: Feb 19, 2022
• Deposit Date: Jul 26, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 12, 2022
• Journal: Veterinary Record
• Electronic ISSN: 2042-7670
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 190
• Issue: 4
• Article Number: e779
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/vetr.779
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/5833266
• Publisher URL: https://bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/vetr.779