title: An exploratory study of dog park visits as a risk factor for exposure to drug-resistant extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) are common causative agents of urinary tract infections in humans. Dogs have been found to harbor ExPEC. This study tested stool samples from dogs (n = 16), the shoes of dog park visitors (n = 16) and the shoes of controls (n = 16) for ExPEC. Phenotypic resistance of isolates was characterized.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ExPEC were present in one-third of the dog stool samples, 9% of the samples from the shoes of dog park visitors and 6% of control samples. Half of the ExPEC isolates were multi-drug resistant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that dogs may be an important source of antibiotic resistant ExPEC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental & Occupational Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, 950 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20052, USA. l.n.ahmed88@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lubna N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental & Occupational Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, 950 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20052, USA. lprice@gwu.edu.
authors.forename: Lance B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Price
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental & Occupational Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, 950 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20052, USA. jgraham@gwu.edu.
authors.forename: Jay P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Graham
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004219:District of Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D004285:Dogs; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D000068316:Parks, Recreational; D012307:Risk Factors; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D056689:Uropathogenic Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D015047:Zoonoses
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents