Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Seasonal patterns in antibiotic resistance of urinary E. coli in US
By Ojasanya, Rasaq A et al.·Published in Preventive veterinary medicine·2025·Department of Population Medicine, Canada·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Assessment of seasonality in antimicrobial susceptibility testing and resistance of urinary Escherichia coli from dogs and cats in the United States (2019 - 2022).
Plain-English summary
A study looked at urinary tract infections (UTIs) in dogs and cats caused by a common bacteria called E. coli, which can be resistant to antibiotics. The research found that these infections were more common in the summer, and dogs showed a decrease in resistance to many antibiotics over time. However, cats only showed improvement with a few specific medications. The highest resistance rates were found in pets from hot and humid areas, but overall, there was no clear seasonal pattern for antibiotic resistance. This information can help veterinarians choose the best treatments for UTIs in pets.
People also search for: dog urinary tract infection treatment · cat UTI antibiotics · antibiotic resistance in pets · seasonal UTI in dogs · E. coli infection in cats
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant global health challenge, impacting humans, animals, and the environment. Dogs and cats are vulnerable to urinary tract infections (UTIs), mostly caused by antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli, necessitating antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) for optimal treatment. This study investigated and evaluated the seasonality of AST and AMR in urinary E. coli isolates from dogs and cats in the USA and evaluated the potential influence of climatic zones on these patterns. Retrospective data from IDEXX Laboratories, from January 2019 to December 2022, were analyzed. The dataset included 344,862 urinary E. coli isolates (74.2 % from dogs, 25.8 % from cats) tested against seven antimicrobials. Linear regression and negative binomial regression models assessed seasonality and trends, accounting for climatic zone variability. An increasing trend in AST was observed, with a seasonal peak in the summer for both species. Urinary E. coli isolates from dogs and cats had the highest resistance to amoxicillin at 27.9 % (95 % CI: 27.7-28.1) and 28.4 % (95 % CI: 28.1-28.7), respectively, among all antimicrobials tested. Resistance rates significantly declined (p < .01) for all drugs tested in dogs, while in cats, declines were significant only for cefovecin, marbofloxacin, and enrofloxacin. No seasonality in AMR was found at the national level or across climatic zones, though AMR rates varied significantly by climatic zone (p < .01). The hot-humid zone had the highest resistance rates but the lowest AST rates per one million dogs and cats. Seasonality in AST suggests a seasonal pattern for UTIs; however, no seasonal pattern in AMR could be observed nationally or regionally for urinary E. coli isolates.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40929873/