Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Bacterial causes and antibiotic resistance in cat urinary infections
By Kankanit Lapcharoen et al.·Published in Animals·2025·Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand, CH·View original on DOAJ →
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Original publication title: Investigation of Bacterial Species and Their Antimicrobial Drug Resistance Profile in Feline Urinary Tract Infection in Thailand
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A study found that 95 out of 428 cats tested positive for urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by various bacteria, with the most common being E. coli and Staphylococcus species. Alarmingly, many of these bacteria showed resistance to common antibiotics, making treatment more difficult. For example, over 69% of the bacteria were resistant to multiple drugs, and some strains of Staphylococcus were resistant to methicillin, a serious concern for treatment options. This highlights the importance of understanding local bacterial infections and their resistance patterns when treating UTIs in cats.
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Abstract
Feline urinary tract infections (UTIs) present a common challenge in veterinary practice, underscoring the importance of understanding local bacterial pathogens and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This study determined bacterial prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility in cats at Kasetsart University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. Of the 543 cystocentesis urine samples collected from 428 cats, 115 (21.2%) tested positive for bacterial cultures, leading to a diagnosis of UTIs in 95 cats (22.2%). The most prevalent isolates included <i>Escherichia coli</i> (24.8%), <i>Staphylococcus</i> species (19.2%), <i>Proteus mirabilis</i> (13.6%), <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> (12.0%), and <i>Enterococcus</i> species (12.0%). <i>Staphylococcus felis</i> (8.8%) and <i>Staphylococcus pseudintermedius</i> (5.6%) were the predominant <i>Staphylococcus</i> species. Rare pathogens such as <i>Corynebacterium urealyticum</i> and <i>Lactococcus garvieae</i> were also identified. Antimicrobial testing revealed alarming resistance, with 69.2% of isolates exhibiting multidrug resistance (MDR). <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Proteus mirabilis</i> showed high resistance to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (AMC) (45.2–70.6%) and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (SXT) (51.6–52.9%). <i>Enterococcus faecium</i> exhibited 85.7% resistance to AMC. Methicillin resistance was identified in 41.7% of <i>Staphylococcus</i> isolates, particularly high in <i>Staphylococcus epidermidis</i> (75.0%) and <i>Staphylococcus pseudintermedius</i> (71.4%). High fluoroquinolone resistance among MDR isolates further exacerbates AMR concerns. These results indicate that MDR Gram-negative, <i>Staphylococcus</i>, and <i>Enterococcus</i> species complicate the empirical treatment of feline UTIs, highlighting significant implications for AMR in veterinary practice.
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Search related cases →Original publication on DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15152235