Characteristics of MDR E. coli strains isolated from Pet Dogs with clinic diarrhea: A pool of antibiotic resistance genes and virulence-associated genes

The study reveals that the increasing number of multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria in companion animals poses a threat to pet treatment and public health. The researchers detected antimicrobial resistance in 135 E. coli isolates from diarrheal pet dogs and screened antibiotic resistance genes, virulence-associated genes, and population structure. They found that 54.81% of the isolates were MDR E. coli. The strains had a high diversity of ARGs and VAGs, mostly belonging to B2/D groups and ST10, and fecal shedding could pose a threat to humans. Measures should be taken to prevent the transmission of MDR E. coli between animals and humans.