A study from Portugal and the UK suggests that domestic dogs and cats play an important role in the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. It was published this Saturday.
In a statement, the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) said the study will be presented at the Global Congress, which will be held in Barcelona, Spain, from April 27 to 30.
Finding “evidence of transmission of multidrug-resistant bacteria between sick dogs and cats and their healthy owners in Portugal and the UK”, the work raises concerns “that pets may act as reservoirs of resistance and thus contribute to the spread of resistance”. to essential medicines.”
In this sense, it draws attention to the importance of including families with pets in antibiotic resistance surveillance programs, the statement noted.
The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies antibiotic resistance as one of the greatest public health threats facing humanity.
Drug-resistant infections kill more than 1.2 million people worldwide every year, and the number is expected to reach 10 million by 2050 unless action is taken.
“Recent research suggests that the transmission of antimicrobial resistant (AMR) bacteria between humans and animals, including pets, is critical to maintaining levels of resistance, challenging the traditional belief that humans are the primary carriers of AMR bacteria in society,” says lead researcher Juliana Menezes, quoted in the report.
“Analysis and understanding of the transmission of AMR bacteria from pets to humans is essential to effectively combat antimicrobial resistance” in humans and animals, adds a graduate student from the Antibiotic Resistance Laboratory of the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Lisbon.
The study involved five cats, 38 dogs and 78 people in 43 homes in Portugal, and 22 dogs and 56 individuals in 22 homes in the UK. All people were healthy, and all pets suffered from skin and soft tissue infections or urinary tract infections.
The scientists tested fecal and urine samples, as well as skin swabs from the animals and their owners, to detect Enterobacterales (a family of bacteria that includes Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae) that are resistant to common antibiotics.
The focus was on bacteria resistant to “third-generation cephalosporins” (one of the most important antibiotics according to WHO) and “to carbapenems (part of the last line of defense when other antibiotics fail).”
According to the statement, “the direction of transmission could not be proven,” but “in three homes in Portugal, the timing of positive tests for ESBL/AmpC-producing bacteria strongly suggests that, at least in these cases, the bacteria passed from a domestic animal to the person.”
Juliana Menezes believes that “learning more about resistance in companion animals will help inform the development of evidence-based and targeted interventions to protect animal and human health.”
Petting, touching or kissing, and touching animal feces allow bacteria to be passed between dogs and cats and their owners, so researchers urge attention to hand washing after petting animals or disposing of their waste.
“When your pet is sick, consider isolating him in a room to prevent bacteria from spreading throughout the house and thoroughly cleaning the rest of the room,” the researcher advises.
After treatment, all dogs and cats were not infected.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
I’m Dave Martin, and I’m an experienced journalist working in the news industry. As a part of my work, I write for 24 News Reporters, covering mostly sports-related topics. With more than 5 years of experience as a journalist, I have written numerous articles on various topics to provide accurate information to readers.