Veterinarska stanica, Vol. 50 No. 4, 2019.
Original scientific paper
Antimicrobial resistance of virulent intestinal Escherichia coli in pre- and post-weaning piglets
Tomislav Sukalić
; Hrvatski veterinarski institut – Veterinarski zavod Križevci, Križevci, Hrvatska;
Tatjana Jelen
; Visoko gospodarsko učilište u Križevcima, Hrvatska
Damir Alagić
; Visoko gospodarsko učilište u Križevcima, Hrvatska
Mateja Semper
; Bedenica, Hrvatska
Ana Končurat
; Hrvatski veterinarski institut – Veterinarski zavod Križevci, Križevci, Hrvatska
Ivica Pavljak
; Hrvatski veterinarski institut – Veterinarski zavod Križevci, Križevci, Hrvatska
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance in bacteria is a growing problem worldwide, due to the overuse and often unnecessary use of antibiotics. Pig farming is no exception, and the aim of this study was to demonstrate antimicrobial resistance of Escherichia coli as one of the most common bacterial pathogens in piglets. In this study, 44 strains of E. coli were isolated from pre- and post-weaning piglets, originating from conventional breeding on six holdings in Koprivnica-Križevci County, Croatia. In order to confirm the pathogenicity of strains, E. coli isolates were tested by PCR for the presence of genes for one or more virulence factors of intestinal E. coli. The disk diffusion test was used to investigate the resistance of E. coli to 10 different antimicrobial drugs. The results showed the lowest resistance of tested E. coli strains to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (9.1%), while resistance to florfenicol was 40.9% and to enrofloxacin 50%. Other antimicrobial drugs showed significant resistance, ranging from 66.7% to gentamicin and cephalexin, 73.3% to colistin, 80% to oxytetracycline, 86.2% to flumequine, 91.3% to sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, and 91.4% to
lincomicin-spectinomicin. The tested strains showed 50% or higher antimicrobial resistance to 8 of 10 antimicrobial drugs, and 75% of the strains were found to be resistant to four or more antimicrobial drugs. The results indicate a higher percentage of resistant strains compared to previous studies in conventional pig breeding, and a higher resistance observed for aminoglycosides (gentamicin) and fluoroquinolones (enrofloxacin), which was not previously recorded. The tested isolates of E. coli from pre- and post-weaning piglets share a high susceptibility to amoxicillin- clavulanic acid and high resistance to lincomicin-spectinomicin, sulfamethoxazole- trimethoprim, oxytetracycline and flumequin. The strains originated from pre-weaning piglets are more susceptible to florfenicol and enrofloxacin, while isolates from post- weaning piglets were more susceptible to cephalexin and colistin. This is the first study on antimicrobial resistance of pathogen intestinal E. coli isolates in piglets from small farms in the Republic of Croatia.
Keywords
Escherichia coli; antimicrobial resistance; piglets
Hrčak ID:
223837
URI
Publication date:
28.7.2019.
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