Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Antibiotic resistance in sick dogs and cats in South Korea
By Hwang, Yu-Jeong et al.·Published in BMC veterinary research·2025·Bacterial Disease Division, South Korea·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Antimicrobial resistance profiles and molecular characterization of extended-spectrum β-lactamase/AmpC-harboring Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from clinically ill dogs and cats in South Korea.
Plain-English summary
This study looked at a type of bacteria called Klebsiella pneumoniae that can cause infections in dogs and cats in South Korea. Researchers found that many of these bacteria were resistant to common antibiotics, particularly tetracycline and cefazolin. They tested samples from 130 dogs and 30 cats, discovering that about 25% of the bacteria had genes that made them resistant to treatment. Some of these bacteria were also found to have factors that could make them more harmful. The results suggest that pets can carry these resistant bacteria, which could potentially be passed on to humans, highlighting the need for careful use of antibiotics in pets and ongoing monitoring of these infections.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The emergence of ESBL/AmpC-producing K. pneumoniae is a significant concern in humans and veterinary medicine. This study aims to ascertain the antimicrobial resistance profiles and molecular characteristics of ESBL/AmpC-producing K. pneumoniae isolated from diseased companion animals during 2018-2023 in South Korea. METHODS: The obtained isolates (dogs, n = 130 and cats, n = 30) from urine, genital organs, diarrheal feces, skin/ear, and respiratory tract were assessed for antimicrobial susceptibility by broth microdilution. Molecular characteristics were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), multi-locus sequence typing (MLST), and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). RESULTS: Among the tested antimicrobials, the highest resistance rates were demonstrated for tetracycline, followed by cefazolin. In the sample levels, isolates from non-digestive tract showed overall higher antimicrobial resistance rates than digestive tract samples for both dogs and cats. In general, 25% (40/160) of the K. pneumoniae isolates harbored ESBL and/or AmpC genes. Of them, ESBL was identified in 30 isolates, with bla, bla, and blabeing the predominant, while AmpC was detected in 20 isolates, with blaand bla. Noticeably, co-occurrence of blaand blawas found in 7 isolates. Virulence factors were identified in 40% of the isolates, mostly comprising terB (56.3%) and irp2 (43.8%). MLST analysis revealed that sequence types (ST)307 and ST15 were predominant among 18 STs. Furthermore, the identical PFGE pattern was detected in different hospitals, suggesting the clonal spread of K. pneumoniae. CONCLUSION: Taken together, the findings emphasize the role of dogs and cats as reservoirs of antimicrobial-resistant K. pneumoniae that could be transmitted to humans. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct continuous surveillance and ensure the judicious use of antimicrobials in companion animals.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41239398/