Resistance to last resort antibiotics can pass between dogs and their owners

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The dangerous mcr-1 gene, which provides last-resort colistin antibiotic resistance, has been found in four healthy humans and two companion dogs. According to new research presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) held online this year, in two cases, both the dog and the owner were harboring the gene.

Since it was first reported in China in 2015, the it has been found in various people and animals around the world. It confers resistance to colistin, a last resort antibiotic used to treat infections of some bacteria resistant to other antibiotics. The nightmare scenario that could arise is the mcr-1 that is combined with ya to create a truly untreatable infection.

Dr. Juliana Menezes and her colleagues at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Portugal, are interested in knowing whether pets can act as a reservoir of the gene and promote it. dissemination to the community.

To find out, the authors looked for resistance to colistin in bacteria a of people and pets. Samples were taken from 126 healthy people living with 102 cats and cats in 80 homes in Lisbon between February 2018 and February 2020. All humans and 61 of the pets were healthy. A total of 23 pets had skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) and 18 had (AND YOU).

Eight dogs of the 102 pets (7.8%) and four humans of 126 (3.2%) had bacteria with the mcr-1 gene. Three of the dogs were healthy, four had SSTI and one had an ITU. None of the cats carried the gene.

Subsequent analysis showed that bacteria isolated from the 12 samples that were mcr-1 positive were resistant to multiple antibiotics.

In two households with dogs with SSTIs, the mcr-1 gene was found in both dog and owner. Genetic analysis of the samples suggested that in one of these two cases, the gene had been transmitted between the pet and the owner.

Although transmission is possible in both directions, it is believed that in this case the gene passed from dog to human, says Dr. Menezes.

The owners had no infections and therefore did not need treatment. Sick dogs were successfully treated.

The researchers say their results show that the mcr-1 gene can be transmitted between and their owners. This raises concerns that pets may act as reservoirs of the gene and therefore help spread resistance to last-line antibiotics.

Dr. Menezes adds: “Colistin is used when all other antibiotics have failed; it is a crucial treatment in the last resort. If all drug-resistant bacteria acquire this resistance gene, they would become treatable and this is a scenario we must avoid at all costs.

“We know that overuse of it encourages resilience and it is vital that they are used responsibly, not only in medicine, but also in veterinary medicine and agriculture. ”


The study identifies last-line antibiotic resistance in humans and companion dogs


Provided by the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

Citation: Last resort antibiotic resistance may pass between companion dogs and their owners (2021, July 11) recovered on July 11, 2021 at https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021- 07-resistance-last-resort-antibiotic-pet -dogs.html

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