Antimicrobial Usage and Resistance in Companion Animals: A Cross-Sectional Study in Three European Countries
Philip Joosten,
Daniela Ceccarelli,
Evelien Odent,
Steven Sarrazin,
Haitske Graveland,
Liese Van Gompel,
Antonio Battisti,
Andrea Caprioli,
Alessia Franco,
Jaap A. Wagenaar,
Dik Mevius,
Jeroen Dewulf
Affiliations
Philip Joosten
Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Department of Obstetrics, Reproduction and Herd Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
Daniela Ceccarelli
Department of Bacteriology and Epidemiology, Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Houtribweg 39, 8221 RA Lelystad, The Netherlands
Evelien Odent
Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Department of Obstetrics, Reproduction and Herd Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
Steven Sarrazin
Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Department of Obstetrics, Reproduction and Herd Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
Haitske Graveland
Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands
Liese Van Gompel
Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
Antonio Battisti
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri”, Department of General Diagnostics, National Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance, Via Appia Nuova, 1411, 00178 Rome, Italy
Andrea Caprioli
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri”, Department of General Diagnostics, National Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance, Via Appia Nuova, 1411, 00178 Rome, Italy
Alessia Franco
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri”, Department of General Diagnostics, National Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance, Via Appia Nuova, 1411, 00178 Rome, Italy
Jaap A. Wagenaar
Department of Bacteriology and Epidemiology, Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Houtribweg 39, 8221 RA Lelystad, The Netherlands
Dik Mevius
Department of Bacteriology and Epidemiology, Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Houtribweg 39, 8221 RA Lelystad, The Netherlands
Jeroen Dewulf
Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Department of Obstetrics, Reproduction and Herd Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
Companion animals have been described as potential reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), however data remain scarce. Therefore, the objectives were to describe antimicrobial usage (AMU) in dogs and cats in three European countries (Belgium, Italy, and The Netherlands) and to investigate phenotypic AMR. A questionnaire and one fecal sample per animal (n = 303) were collected over one year and AMU was quantified using treatment incidence (TI). Phenotypic resistance profiles of 282 Escherichia coli isolates were determined. Nineteen percent of the animals received at least one antimicrobial treatment six months preceding sampling. On average, cats and dogs were treated with a standard daily dose of antimicrobials for 1.8 and 3.3 days over one year, respectively. The most frequently used antimicrobial was amoxicillin-clavulanate (27%). Broad-spectrum antimicrobials and critically important antimicrobials for human medicine represented 83% and 71% of the total number of treatments, respectively. Resistance of E. coli to at least one antimicrobial agent was found in 27% of the isolates. The most common resistance was to ampicillin (18%). Thirteen percent was identified as multidrug resistant isolates. No association between AMU and AMR was found in the investigated samples. The issue to address, regarding AMU in companion animal, lies within the quality of use, not the quantity. Especially from a One-Health perspective, companion animals might be a source of transmission of resistance genes and/or resistant bacteria to humans.
