Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in hospitalized companion animals in China in 2022-23.

Objectives: In this study, bacteria isolated from companion animals in China were taxonomically identified and assessed for antimicrobial susceptibility to evaluate the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in pets.

Methods: From October 2022 to October 2023, 5468 samples were collected from pets, predominantly from cats and dogs, in China, of which 5253 bacterial strains were identified (>98%). Antimicrobial susceptibility was assessed using the VITEK 2 COMPACT system and the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method.

Results: The most common bacterial species were Escherichia coli (14.5%) and Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (13.6%). E. coli exhibited high resistance to ampicillin and cefpodoxime (56.8%-73.2%) but moderate resistance to doxycycline, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, enrofloxacin, gentamicin, and amoxicillin-clavulanate (18.1%-38.5%). Klebsiella spp. and Enterobacter spp. were resistance to several antimicrobials (32.2%-57.7%). High susceptibility to imipenem was noted in Proteus spp., Pseudomonas spp., and Acinetobacter spp. (91.7%-94.1%). Coagulase-positive Staphylococcus spp. demonstrated higher resistance than coagulase-negative strains. Enterococcus faecium showed greater resistance to some antimicrobials compared with E. faecalis. Streptococcus spp. exhibited low resistance to enrofloxacin (1.6%) and penicillin (1.1%).

Conclusions: The study demonstrates that AMR is widespread in companion animals in China, emphasizing the need for continuous surveillance. The accumulation of commercial antimicrobial susceptibility data can improve understanding of AMR and promote more effective antimicrobial stewardship and clinical practices in veterinary medicine.