Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
High rates of antibiotic resistance in dog and cat ear infections
By Martins, Eduarda et al.·Published in Microbial pathogenesis·2022·Laboratory of Veterinary Microbiology and Immunology, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: High rates of multidrug resistance in bacteria associated with small animal otitis: A study of cumulative microbiological culture and antimicrobial susceptibility.
Plain-English summary
A study involving 138 dogs and 4 cats with ear infections found that nearly half of the bacteria causing these infections were resistant to multiple antibiotics. This means that common treatments may not work effectively, making it harder to manage these ear infections. The researchers identified a mix of bacteria and fungi involved in the infections, highlighting the complexity of treating ear problems in pets. The findings suggest that pet owners should be aware of the potential for antibiotic resistance when seeking treatment for their pets' ear infections.
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Abstract
The etiology of otitis in dogs and cats is multifactorial and complex, involving bacterial and fungal pathogens. As empiric antimicrobial prescription is a common practice when treating such cases, antimicrobial resistance may represent a complicating factor. The aim of this study was to describe microbiological features and susceptibility profiles of pathogens associated with 142 cases of external otitis, comprising 138 dogs and 4 cats.. The specimens were processed to identify bacterial and fungal etiologies following standard microbiological methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined in vitro against 15 antibiotics and 3 antifungals. Further, Staphylococcus spp. isolates were screened for the detection of β-lactamase enzymes using cefinase paper discs. Pseudomonas spp. and isolates from Enterobacteriaceae family were screened for colistin (Polymyxin E) resistance and for the mcr-1-mediated colistin resistance gene by PCR. The presence of mixed cultures of Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas spp. and Staphylococcus spp., and co-infections with Malassezia spp., emphasizes the polymicrobial etiology of external otitis in small animals. Emerging rates of multidrug resistance observed in almost 50% of the isolates may alert for a near future of challenging veterinary cases unresponsive to first-line antimicrobials. In addition, these results highlight a potential public health concern of multidrug resistant bacteria, given the proximity of pets and their owners. This study addressed central aspects of external otitis, providing microbiologists and clinicians updated information on the etiology and treatment of challenging cases of multidrug resistant bacteria. It also provides priceless surveillance value in monitoring resistant bacteria in small animals.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35182615/