LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANT ESCHERICHIA COLI INTHE FAECES OF HORSES ADMITTED TO AN EQUINE HOSPITAL

摘要

The increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistant bacteria represents a significant problem for human and veterinary medicine, with resistance in Escherichia coli from horses documented in commensal and pathogenic bacterial strains. A longitudinalstudy of 103 horses in an equine hospital was conducted, with faecal samples cultured for antimicrobial resistant E. coli. High sample prevalence for resistant E. coli was identified for several antimicrobials. The prevalence of resistance was lower at admission, rising on days 2 and 4 post admission. Risk factors were identified using multilevel, multivariable modelling and included the day the sample was obtained, antimicrobial treatment in the previous seven days, location within the hospital and thetotal daily dosages of cotrimoxazole prescribed in the hospital. High levels of multidrug resistant (49.2% of samples) and extended spectrum beta-lactamase producing E. coli (28.7% of samples) were recovered; such bacteria could complicate treatment ifthey were the cause of infection.