AUTHOR=Zogg Anna Lena , Simmen Sabrina , Zurfluh Katrin , Stephan Roger , Schmitt Sarah N. , Nüesch-Inderbinen Magdalena 

TITLE=High Prevalence of Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase Producing Enterobacteriaceae Among Clinical Isolates From Cats and Dogs Admitted to a Veterinary Hospital in Switzerland

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Veterinary Science

VOLUME=5

YEAR=2018

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2018.00062

DOI=10.3389/fvets.2018.00062

ISSN=2297-1769

ABSTRACT=<sec id="ST1"><title>Objectives</title><p>This study aimed to identify and characterize extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producing Enterobacteriaceae among clinical samples of companion animals.</p></sec><sec id="ST2"><title>Methods</title><p>A total of 346 non-duplicate Enterobacteriaceae isolates were collected between 2012 and 2016 from diseased cats (<italic>n</italic> = 115) and dogs (<italic>n</italic> = 231). The presence of <italic>bla</italic><sub>ESBL</sub>, PMQR genes, and the azithromycin resistance gene <italic>mph(A)</italic> was confirmed by PCR and sequencing of <italic>bla</italic> genes. Isolates were further characterized by antimicrobial resistance profiling, multilocus sequence typing, phylogenetic grouping, identification of mutations in the QRDR of <italic>gyrA</italic> and <italic>parC</italic>, and screening for virulence-associated genes.</p></sec><sec id="ST3"><title>Results</title><p>Among the 346 isolates, 72 (20.8%) were confirmed ESBL producers [58 <italic>Escherichia coli (E. coli)</italic>, 11 <italic>Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae)</italic>, and 3 <italic>Enterobacter cloacae</italic>]. The strains were cultured from urine (<italic>n</italic> = 45), skin and skin wounds (<italic>n</italic> = 8), abscesses (<italic>n</italic> = 6), surgical sites (<italic>n</italic> = 6), bile (<italic>n</italic> = 4), and other sites (<italic>n</italic> = 3). ESBL genes included <italic>bla</italic><sub>CTX-M-1</sub>, <sub>14</sub>, <sub>15</sub>, <sub>27</sub>, <sub>55</sub>, and <italic>bla</italic><sub>SHV-12</sub>, predominantly <italic>bla</italic><sub>CTX-M-15</sub> (54.8%, 40/73), and <italic>bla</italic><sub>CTX-M-1</sub> (24.7%, 18/73). Further genes included <italic>qnrB</italic> (4.2%, 3/72), <italic>qnrS</italic> (9.7%, 7/72), <italic>aac(6<italic>’</italic>)-Ib-cr</italic> (47.2%, 34/72), and <italic>mph(A)</italic> (38.9%, 28/72). Seventeen (23.6%) isolates belonged to the major lineages of human pathogenic <italic>K. pneumoniae</italic> ST11, ST15, and ST147 and <italic>E. coli</italic> ST131. The most prevalent ST was <italic>E. coli</italic> ST410 belonging to phylogenetic group C.</p></sec><sec id="ST4"><title>Conclusion</title><p>The high prevalence of ESBL producing clinical Enterobacteriaceae from cats and dogs in Switzerland and the presence of highly virulent human-related <italic>K. pneumoniae</italic> and <italic>E. coli</italic> clones raises concern about transmission prevention as well as infection management and prevention in veterinary medicine.</p></sec>