Enteropathogenic and Multidrug-Resistant blaCTX-M-Carrying E. coli Isolates from Dogs and Cats

• Published in: Animals (Basel) Vol. 14; no. 17; p. 2463
• Main Authors: Catherine Biondo Feitosa, Gabriel Siqueira dos Santos, Natalia Carrillo Gaeta, Gustavo da Silva Schiavi, Carla Gasparotto Chande Vasconcelos, Jonas Moraes Filho, Heinemann, Marcos Bryan, Cortez, Adriana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01-09-2024
• Subjects: Animals; Antimicrobial agents; Bacteria; Drug resistance; E coli; EPEC; ESBL; Feces; Gene amplification; Laboratories; Microbiota; multidrug-resistant; Public health; Statistical analysis; Virulence; Zoonoses; Brazil; United States > US
• ISSN: 2076-2615; 2076-2615
• DOI: 10.3390/ani14172463

Simple SummaryDogs and cats can carry enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), and resistance to antimicrobials can impair eventual treatment. Ninety-seven isolates were collected from fecal samples of 31 dogs and 3 cats from Botucatu, Brazil, between March and October 2021. Twenty E. coli strains were identified as EPEC (20.6%), 5.1% had extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) production, and 13.4% were multidrug-resistant. Phylogroups A and B2 were predominant, comprising 29.9% and 26.8% of isolates, respectively. This study shows the prevalence of EPEC and antimicrobial-resistant E. coli strains in dogs and cats.AbstractEnteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) are pathogens associated with gastrointestinal illnesses. Dogs and cats can harbor EPEC, and antimicrobial resistance may impair necessary treatments. This study characterized E. coli strains from dogs and cats, focusing on phylogroup classification, virulence factors, and antimicrobial resistance profiles. Ninety-seven E. coli isolates from fecal samples of 31 dogs and 3 cats were obtained from a private diagnostic laboratory in Botucatu, Brazil, from March to October 2021. The antimicrobial susceptibility was assessed using the disk diffusion method. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was employed to screen for blaCTX-M and genes encoding virulence factors, as well as to classify the isolates into phylogroups. Twenty isolates were positive for intimin encoding gene eae and, consequently, these isolates were classified as EPEC (20.62%). Notably, 5.1% (5/97) of the isolates exhibited extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) production and 13.4% (13/97) were identified as multidrug-resistant bacteria. Phylogroups A and B2 were the most prevalent, comprising 29.9% (29/97) and 26.8% (26/97) of the bacterial isolates, respectively. This characterization highlights the prevalence of EPEC in domestic animals, emphasizing the potential risk they pose to public health and highlighting the urgency of responsible antimicrobial use in veterinary practices and the important role of laboratories in the surveillance of pathogenic multidrug-resistant bacteria.