Damborg, P. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2021

Defining the scope of the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance network in Veterinary medicine (EARS-Vet): a bottom-up and One Health approach

BackgroundBuilding the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance network in Veterinary medicine (EARS-Vet) was proposed to strengthen the European One Health antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance approach. ObjectivesThe objectives were to (i) define the combinations of animal species, production types, age categories, bacterial species, specimens and antimicrobials to be monitored in EARS-Vet and to (ii) determine antimicrobial test panels able to cover most combinations. MethodsThe EARS-Vet scope was defined by consensus between 26 European experts. Decisions were guided by a survey of the combinations that are relevant and feasible to monitor in diseased animals in 13 European countries (bottom-up approach). Experts also considered the One Health approach and the need for EARS-Vet to complement existing European AMR monitoring systems coordinated by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). ResultsEARS-Vet would monitor AMR in six animal species (cattle, swine, chicken (broiler and laying hen), turkey, cat and dog), for 11 bacterial species (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, Staphylococcus hyicus, Streptococcus uberis, Streptococcus dysgalactiae and Streptococcus suis). Relevant antimicrobials for their treatment were selected (e.g. tetracyclines) and complemented with antimicrobials of more specific public health interest (e.g. carbapenems). Three test panels of antimicrobials were proposed covering most EARS-Vet combinations of relevance for veterinary antimicrobial stewardship. ConclusionsWith this scope, EARS-Vet would enable to better address animal health in the strategy to mitigate AMR and better understand the multi-sectoral AMR epidemiology in Europe.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2018

Dogs as reservoirs of Escherichia coli strains causing urinary tract infection in their owners

It is known that humans and pets living together can share the same Escherichia coli strain. In this study we assessed the role played by household pets as reservoirs of E. coli strains causing urinary tract infection (UTI) in their owners. Fecal swabs from 15 dogs and six cats living with 19 patients with community-acquired E. coli UTI were screened by antimicrobial selective plating to detect E. coli displaying the same susceptibility profile of the UTI-causing strain. Pet/patient pairs sharing strains with indistinguishable susceptibility and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) profiles were quantitatively screened for fecal carriage of the UTI-causing strain approximately 10 months later using bacterial counts on selective agar supplemented with the relevant antibiotics. Isolates from both time points were characterized by whole-genome single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis. PFGE revealed indistinguishable E. coli within two (11%) pet/patient pairs. In pair A, the UTI-causing strain was detected 10 months later in both the patient (108 CFU/g) and her dog (104 CFU/g). In pair B, only the dog was colonized with the UTI-causing strain upon re-sampling (105 CFU/g), indicating dog-to-man transmission. For both pairs, less than 70 SNPs distinguished any isolate from the first and second sampling. The study shows regular co-carriership of UTI-causing E. coli strains between humans and their pets, and indicates that dogs can be a source of human infection. Although final evidence for transmission is lacking, hygiene precautions should be considered by people fraternizing pets. This may be particularly relevant for persons with a compromised immune system.

microbiology↗