Skip to main content
PMC home page
Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica logoLink to Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica
. 1973 Sep 1;14(3):381–391. doi: 10.1186/BF03547426

Incidence of Drug Resistance and Transmissible R Factors In Strains of E. Coli Isolated from Faeces of Healthy Pigs

Forekomst af antibiotikaresistens og overførbare R faktorer i E. coli stammer isoleret fra faeces af raske svin

Henry Søgaard 1,✉
PMCID: PMC8559853  PMID: 4586123

Abstract

Two hundred and twenty-six strains of E. coli were isolated from faeces of 107 pigs at different ages and without clinical signs of infectious diseases. The resistance of the strains to sulphonamide, tetracycline, streptomycin, chloramphenicol, ampicillin, and nalidixic acid was determined. In 74 % of the animals the predominant E. coli flora was found to be resistant to one or more of the drugs mentioned. Fifty-three % of the strains were resistant. Multiple resistance was predominant among resistant strains (67 %). R factors transmissible to a sensitive strain of E. coli K12 W3132 were demonstrated in 28 %. The proportion of resistant strains was largest in young animals (0–14 weeks) accounting for 65 % of the strains isolated, as compared to 43 % of strains from pigs and sows (6 months or more). The incidence of resistance to sulphonamide, tetracycline, and streptomycin was high, whereas most of the strains were sensitive to ampicillin and chloramphenicol. All strains were sensitive to nalidixic acid.

The incidence of resistance to antibiotics in a population of pigs to whom these drugs are not fed but applied as therapeutic agents solely seems rather high. When based on clinical findings only, the value is therefore questionable of sulphonamide, tetracycline and streptomycin treatment of infectious diseases caused by E. coli.

Keywords: drug resistance, transmissible drug resistance, R factor, E. coli

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (1.1 MB).

References

  1. Akiba T, Koyama K, Ishiki Y, Kimura S, Fukushima T. On the mechanism of the development of multiple drug-resistant clones of Shigella. Jap. J. Microbiol. 1960;4:219–227. doi: 10.1111/j.1348-0421.1960.tb00170.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Anderson E S. The ecology of transferable drug-resistance in the enterobacteria. Ann. Rev. Microbiol. 1968;22:131–180. doi: 10.1146/annurev.mi.22.100168.001023. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bulling E, Scholz M, Malla D S. Antibiotika-Resistenz von Enterobacterien aus Tiermaterial und Versuche zur Übertragung der Mehrfachresistenz in vitro. (Antibiotic resistance by enterobacteria from animal material and research into transference of multiple resistance in vitro) Berl. Münch. tierärztl. Wschr. 1968;81:151–153. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Hashimoto, H. & S. Mitsuhashi: Genetic properties of R factors. In Transferable Drug Resistance Factor R. Univ. Park Press, Baltimore - London - Tokyo 1971.
  5. Kagiwada, S., S. Kato, M. Rokugo, J. Hoshino & K. Nishiyama: Studies on the mechanism of development of resistant Shigella in intestinal tracts with special reference to the possibility of converting sensitive Shigella to resistance by multiple-drug-resistant E. coli in intestinal tracts. Nippon Iji Shimpo 1960, 1886, 5. (Ref. T. Watanabe, Bact. Rev. 1963, 27, 87–115).
  6. Lautrop H. Gelatin-liquefying Klebsiella strains (Bacterium oxytocum Flügge) Acta path. microbiol. scand. 1956;39:375–384. doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1956.tb03415.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Loken K I, Winona Wagner L, Henke C L. Transmissible drug resistance in Enterobacteriaceae isolated from calves given antibiotics. Arner. J. vet. Res. 1971;32:1207–1212. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Mercer H D, Pocurull D, Gaines S, Wilson S, Bennett J V. Characteristics of antimicrobial resistance of Escherichia coli from animals: Relationship to veterinary and management uses of antimicrobial agents. Appl. Microbiol. 1971;22:700–705. doi: 10.1128/AM.22.4.700-705.1971. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Mitsuhashi, S. (ed.): Transferable Drug Resistance Factor R. Univ. Park Press, Baltimore - London - Tokyo 1971.
  10. Møller V. Simplified tests for some amino acid decarboxylases and for the arginine dihydrolase system. Acta path. microbiol. scand. 1955;36:158–172. doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1955.tb04583.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Ochiai, K., T. Yamanaka, K. Kimura & O. Sawada: Studies on inheritance of drug resistance between Shigella strains and Escherichia coli strains. Nippon Iji Shimpo 1959, 1861, 34–36. (Ref. T. Watanabe, Bact. Rev. 1963, 27, 87–115).
  12. Ringarp N. Kolienterotoxämi hos gris. (Coli enterotoxaemia in pigs) Nord. Vet.-Med. 1965;17:346–357. [Google Scholar]
  13. Smith H W. The incidence of infective drug resistance in strains of Escherichia coli isolated from diseased human beings and domestic animals. J. Hyg. (Lond.) 1966;64:465–474. doi: 10.1017/S0022172400040638. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Smith H W, Halls S. Observations on infective drug resistance in Britain. Brit. med. J. 1966;1:266–269. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.5482.266. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Swann, M. M., Chairman: Report of Joint Committee on the Use of Antibiotics in Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine. Cmnd. 4190. Her Majesty’s Stationary Office, London 1969.
  16. Walton J R. Infectious drug resistance in Escherichia coli isolated from healthy farm animals. Lancet. 1966;1:1300–1302. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(66)91705-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Watanabe T. Infective heredity of multiple drug resistance in bacteria. Bact. Rev. 1963;27:87–115. doi: 10.1128/BR.27.1.87-115.1963. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Wittig W. Zur Coli-Enterotoxämie (Ödemkrankheit) des Schweines. (On coli enterotoxaemia (bowel oedema) in pigs) Mh. Vet.-Med. 1961;16:587–592. [Google Scholar]

Articles from Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica are provided here courtesy of BMC

RESOURCES