Development of antimicrobial drug resistance in rectal Escherichia coli isolates from dogs hospitalized in an intensive care unit.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether duration of hospitalization in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a veterinary teaching hospital was associated with prevalence of antimicrobial resistance among rectal Escherichia coli isolates from dogs, whether antimicrobial treatment was associated with prevalence of antimicrobial resistance, and whether there were associations among antimicrobial drugs to which isolates were resistant.


METHODS
Prospective observational study.


METHODS
116 dogs hospitalized in an ICU for >or= 3 days.


METHODS
Rectal swab specimens were obtained every 3 days and submitted for bacterial culture for E coli. Isolates were tested for susceptibility to 12 antimicrobial agents by means of disk diffusion.


RESULTS
For each additional day that a dog was hospitalized in the ICU, the odds of being colonized with an E coli isolate resistant to 1 or more of the 12 antimicrobials tested increased by a factor of 1.5, independent of antimicrobial treatment. Dogs that were treated with enrofloxacin were 25.6 times as likely to be colonized by a quinolone-resistant E coli strain as were dogs that did not receive any antimicrobials. Significant correlations were found for resistance to agents in the extended-spectrum cephalosporin group and the quinolone group.


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggested that the proportion of rectal E coli isolates obtained from dogs housed for >or= 3 days in a veterinary teaching hospital ICU that were resistant to antimicrobial agents increased as the duration of hospitalization in the ICU increased. Thus, ICU hospitalization time should be as short as possible to prevent development of antimicrobial resistance among rectal E coli isolates.
Ogeer-Gyles
Jennifer
J
Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
Mathews
Karol A
KA
Sears
William
W
Prescott
John F
JF
Weese
J S
JS
Boerlin
Patrick
P
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial / Q000662:veterinary; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D004285:Dogs; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012007:Rectum / Q000382:microbiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents