Active surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in companion animals: A pilot study in a Spanish Veterinary Teaching Hospital
Artículo de investigación publicado en Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
2 de abril de 2024
The role of small animal veterinary hospitals in the onset and dissemination of antimicrobial-resistant organisms (AMROs) is still not clear, and the implementation of an internal surveillance systems is a cost-effective tool to better understand their impact. The aim of this study was to describe a pilot program of active surveillance in a Spanish Veterinary Teaching Hospital, developed to estimate the detection frequency of AMROs in the commensal flora of patients and in the environment. Surveillance was focused on Methicillin-resistant Staphylococci (MRS), third generation cephalosporins resistant gram-negative bacteria (3GCR-GNB), and carbapenems-resistant gram-negative bacteria (CR-GNB). Oral and perirectal swabs were collected in the same dogs and cats hospitalized > 48 h, at their admission and before their discharge. Out of 50 patients sampled, 24% (12/50) were carriers at admission of at least one of the three investigated AMROs. Twenty-eight percent of patients (14/50) acquired at least one AMRO during the hospital stay. MRS detection frequency at admission was 12% (6/50), while acquisition was 6% (3/50). 3GCR-GNB detection frequency was 14% at admission (7/50) and acquisition 22% (11/50), while CR-GNB detection frequency was 2% at admission (1/50) and acquisition 2% (1/50). Environmental surveillance (98 samples) showed a total detection frequency of 22.4% for MRS (22/98), 2% for 3GCR-GNB and CR-GNB (2/98). Clinical staff` shoe soles showed high detection frequency for MRS (50%). 3GCR Escherichia coli was the most isolated species in patients (n = 17). The results show how active surveillance can be used as a tool to assess the impact of AMROs in veterinary hospitals to subsequently build up tailored control plans based on specific issues
Scarpellini R., Leal Velez de Mendizábal L., Quevedo-Caraballo S., Blanco JL., Garcia ME., Perez-Sancho M., Portero-Fuentes M., Penelo S., Esposito E., Mondo E. y Piva S.
| Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences. Università di Bologna (UNIBO). | |
 | Departamento de Sanidad Animal. Facultad de Veterinaria. Universidad Complutense (UCM). |
| Hospital Clínico Veterinario Complutense (HCVC). Universidad Complutense (UCM). |
| Servicio de Identificación y Caracterización Microbiana (ICM). Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET). Universidad Complutense (UCM). |
