Abstract:
BACKGROUND : This study investigated the burden and predictors of canine E. coli urinary tract infections (UTI) and
antimicrobial resistance among dogs presented at a veterinary teaching hospital in South Africa, 2007–2012.
METHODS : The Cochran-Armitage trend test was used to investigate temporal trends while logistic regression models
were used to investigate predictors (age, sex, breed, year) of E. coli infections and antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
RESULTS : A total of 22.3% (168/755) of the urinary specimens tested positive for E. coli. A significant (p = 0.0004)
decreasing temporal trend in the percentage of E. coli positive isolates was observed over the study period. There were
high levels of AMR to penicillin-G (99%), clindamycin (100%), tylosine (95%), cephalothin (84%) but relatively low levels
of resistance to enrofloxacin (16%), orbifloxacin (21%). Almost all (98%, 164/167) the isolates exhibited multidrug
resistance (MDR), while only 11% (19/167) and 2% (4/167) exhibited extensive drug resistance (XDR) and pan-drug
resistance (PDR), respectively.
CONCLUSIONS : Although, the risk of E. coli UTI declined during the study period, the risk of AMR increased. The high
levels of AMR and MDR as well as the presence of XDR and PDR is concerning as these have the potential of affecting
prognosis of UTI treatments.
