title: Pathogenic bacteria carried by companion animals and their susceptibility to antibacterial agents.
abstract: Results of the investigation showed that there was a difference in the bacteria isolated from dogs, cats and their living environment. The number and species isolated from the hair and front paw samples from dogs kept outdoors and from cats were greater and more varied than those from the samples from dogs kept indoors. Staphylococcus, Micrococcus and Bacillus were frequently detected from skin surfaces. On the other hand, Escherichia, Pseudomonas, Proteus and others were detected on each sampling area on dogs kept outdoors and on cats. About 60% of the bacteria commonly causes infectious diseases and carries a risk of food poisoning. Moreover, Pasteurella multocida, which causes pasteurellasis, a kind of zoonosis, was isolated from dogs and cats. These pathogenic bacteria were transmitted from animals to humans by direct contact. This result suggests that direct contact with dogs and cats and contact with aerosols can possibly transmit infectious diseases. Most of the isolates (75.9%, 60/79) were resistant to antibacterial agents. We then investigated the effect of household detergents and pet care deodorant sprays containing antibacterial agents on isolates from dogs and cats. They were effective in preventing the transmission of pathogens from dogs and cats to humans.
authors.affiliation: Earth Biochemical Co., Ltd., Kagasuno 923, Tokushima 771-0130, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryoko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Buma
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: Masaharu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kamei
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kourai
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000382:microbiology; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D002353:Carrier State / Q000662:veterinary; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission; D002415:Cats; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial / Q000662:veterinary; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission; D004285:Dogs; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D015047:Zoonoses
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents