title: Cats as a risk for transmission of antimicrobial drug-resistant Salmonella.
abstract: To determine whether cats were a risk for transmission of Salmonella to humans, we evaluated the excretion of Salmonella by pet cats. Rectal-swab specimens were taken from 278 healthy house cats, from 58 cats that died of disease, and from 35 group-housed cats. Group-housed cats were kept in one room with three cat trays and a common water and feed tray. Eighteen (51.4%) of 35 group-housed cats, 5 (8.6%) of 58 diseased cats (5/58), and 1 (0.36%) of 278 healthy house cats excreted Salmonella. Salmonella isolates were of serotypes Typhimurium, Enteritidis, Bovismorbificans and 4:i:-. Acquired antimicrobial resistance was found in serotype Typhimurium (resistance to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline; to ampicillin; and to chloramphenicol) and 4:i:- strains (resistance to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, sulfonamides, trimethoprim, and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim). Cats that excrete Salmonella can pose a public health hazard to people who are highly susceptible to Salmonella, such as children, the elderly, and immunocompromised persons.
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium. flip.vanimmerseel@UGent.be
authors.forename: Filip
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Van Immerseel
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pasmans
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: De Buck
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rychlik
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hradecka
authors.forename: Jean-Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Collard
authors.forename: Christa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wildemauwe
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heyndrickx
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ducatelle
authors.forename: Freddy
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Haesebrouck
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission; D002415:Cats; D002460:Cell Line; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D012475:Salmonella / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D012481:Salmonella Infections, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents