title: Prevalence of bacterial enteropathogens in pet dogs in Trinidad.
abstract: The rectal swabs of diarrhoeic and apparently healthy non-diarrhoeic dogs presented to a Small Animal Clinic were cultured for Escherichia coli, Salmonella and Campylobacter and the enteropathogens were characterized. Overall, of 130 dogs divided equally into two groups consisting of 65 diarrhoeic and 65 non-diarrhoeic dogs, 99 (76.2%), 6 (4.6%) and 18 (13.8%) were positive for E. coli, Salmonella and Campylobacter, respectively. The differences were statistically significant (P < or = 0.05; chi 2). The prevalences of the enteropathogens in diarrhoeic and non-diarrhoeic dogs were not statistically significant (P > or = 0.05; chi 2). Diarrhoea was significantly (P < or = 0.01; chi 2) more prevalent in dogs less than 6 months of age and 7 months to 1 year old than in dogs older than 1 year. The prevalences of Salmonella, E. coli and enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) strains were not significantly (P > or = 0.05; chi 2) associated with age but the prevalence of Campylobacter infection was significantly (P < or = 0.01; chi 2) higher in dogs less than 1 year old (25.0%) than in older dogs (5.4%). Of 99 E. coli strains tested, three (3.0%), four (4.0%), five (5.1%) and 20 (20.2%) were haemolytic, non-sorbitol fermenters, verocytotoxigenic (VT) and EPEC strains, respectively. Resistance to tetracycline (59.6%) and ampicillin (50.5%) was most prevalent and significantly (P < or = 0.01; chi 2) higher than to six other antimicrobial agents.
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Adesiyun
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kaminjolo
mesh_terms: D000667:Ampicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D004285:Dogs; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015995:Prevalence; D012481:Salmonella Infections, Animal / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014300:Trinidad and Tobago / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010406:Penicillins; D000667:Ampicillin; D013752:Tetracycline