Exploring Antibiotic Resistance Patterns in Isolates from Domestic Animals in Southern Italy

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Microbiology
• One Health Epidemiology
• Antimicrobial Stewardship

Background:

• Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a significant concern in both human and animal populations.
• The close contact between humans, pets, and livestock facilitates the spread of AMR.
• Surveillance data is crucial for understanding AMR patterns in domestic environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze antimicrobial resistance patterns in bacterial isolates from veterinary samples.
• To investigate trends in AMR in European households and domestic animals from 2020 to 2025.
• To inform antibiotic stewardship strategies based on surveillance findings.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of antibiogram reports from a veterinary bacteriology laboratory (2020-2025).
• Descriptive and statistical methods were used to evaluate AMR patterns.
• Testing of 2599 isolates against 76 antimicrobial molecules across 25 classes.

Main Results:

• Staphylococcus spp. and E. coli were the most frequently isolated bacteria, with ear swabs being the most common sample type.
• Two-thirds of isolates showed susceptibility to at least one EMA Category D antibiotic.
• Low non-susceptibility rates were observed for sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (Category D), gentamicin (Category C), and enrofloxacin (Category B).

Conclusions:

• A concerning increase in the non-susceptibility trend was observed over the five-year study period.
• Continuous antibiotic stewardship is essential to mitigate the spread of AMR.
• Findings underscore the importance of ongoing surveillance in veterinary settings.