Abstract
Faecal samples from 95 healthy pigs and samples of jejunal content from 85 piglets suffering from colienterotoxaemia were tested for the presence of drug resistant E. coli strains. Practically all pigs in both groups harboured E. coli strains resistant to one or more of the 6 antibiotics/chemotherapeutic agents tested (Oxytetracycline, streptomycin, sulphaisodimidin, neomycin, ampicillin, chloramphenicol). Almost 100% of healthy and approx. 90% of diseased pigs harboured strains resistant to Oxytetracycline, streptomycin and sulphaisodimidin. Pigs with strains resistant to neomycin, ampicillin and chloramphenicol were less frequently found. The predominant coliform flora consisted of E. coli strains” resistant to Oxytetracycline, streptomycin and sulphaisodimidin in 71% to 81% of diseased pigs and in 47% to 69% of the healthy pigs. In diseased pigs ¾ of the animals had a coliform flora dominated by neomycinresistant E. coli strains.
Of the 721 resistant E. coli strains isolated from healthy pigs, 11% were single resistant while the corresponding figure for the 518 resistant strains isolated from diseased pigs was 6%. Thus 89% and 94% of strains showed simultaneous resistance to 2 or more antibiotics. E. coli strains resistant to 3 or more drugs were found in approx. 60% and 70% of the isolates from healthy and diseased animals, respectively. Oxytetracycline/streptomycin/sulphaisodimidin resistance was most commonly found, approx. 22% and 38% of the strains from healthy and diseased pigs, respectively, showing this resistance pattern.
Transmission of drug resistance which was examined in E. coli strains originating from the diseased pigs was demonstrated in approx. 76% of the isolates. The incidence of drug resistance transfer in single, double, triple and quadruple resistant strains was 11%, 68%, 97% and 98%, respectively.
Keywords: Escherichia coli, drug resistance, transmissible drug resistance, pig
Sammendrag
Forekomst av antibiotika/kjemoterapeutika (i det etterfølgende benevnt antibiotika) resistente stammer av E. coli ble undersøkt i fecesprøver fra 95 friske griser og i tynntarminnhold fra 85 smågriser som alle var døde av kolienterotoksemi. I praktisk talt alle dyr fra begge grupper ble det påvist E. coli-stammer som var resistente mot ett eller flere av 6 antibiotika som ble undersøkt (oxytetracyklin, streptomycin, sulfaisodimidin, neomycin, ampicillin, chloramphenicol). Hos nesten 100% av de friske grisene og ca. 90% av de syke grisene påvistes E. coli-stammer som var resistente mot oxytetracyklin, streptomycin og sulfaisodimidin. Dyr som hadde resistente stammer mot neomycin, ampicillin og chloramphenicol ble ikke så ofte påvist. I 71% til 81% av de syke dyrene og i 47% til 69% av de friske dyrene ble den koliforme flora dominert av E. coli-stammer som var resistente mot oxytetracyklin, streptomycin og sulfaisodimidin. Tre av 4 syke griser hadde en koliform flora som var dominert av neomycinresistente E. coli-stammer.
Av de 721 antibiotikaresistente E. coli-stammer som ble isolert fra de friske grisene var 11% monoresistente. Det tilsvarende tall for de 518 antibiotikaresistente E. coli-stammer som ble isolert fra de syke grisene var 6%. Således var det 89% og 94% av stammene fra henholdsvis friske og syke griser som var resistente mot 2 eller flere antibiotika samtidig. E. coli-stammer som samtidig var resistente mot 3 eller flere antibiotika ble påvist i ca. 60% av isolatene fra de friske dyrene og i ca. 70% av isolatene fra de syke dyrene. Samtidig resistens mot oxytetracyklin, streptomycin og sulfaisodimidin var det mest vanlige idet ca. 22% og 38% av stammene fra henholdsvis friske og syke griser hadde dette resistensmønster.
Overføring av antibiotikaresistens ble påvist i ca. 76% av E. colistammer isolert fra de syke dyrene. Overføring av resistens ble påvist i 11%, 68%, 97% og 98% fra E. coli-stammer som var resistente mot henholdsvis 1, 2, 3 og 4 antibiotika på samme tid.
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Footnotes
The investigation was made possible by financial support from the Agricultural Research Council of Norway.
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