Allergic Skin Disease
JAAHA: Investigating MDR bacteria in canine skin infections
A new JAAHA study assessed the hospital prevalence of MDR isolates from canine bacterial skin infections, compared prevalence across services and infection types, and identified the most common MDR organisms.
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2023 AAHA Management of Allergic Skin Diseases in Dogs and Cats Guidelines
Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria continue to pose a growing challenge for small animal practitioners, reinforcing the importance of culture, surveillance, and antimicrobial stewardship. A new study in the Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association (JAAHA) evaluating more than three years of aerobic skin culture data from a veterinary teaching hospital found that MDR organisms were present in 42% of skin cultures and 30% of all bacterial isolates from canine skin infections.
Researchers analyzed 438 cultures from 416 canine patients across multiple hospital services. Primary Care, Neurology, Dermatology, and Surgery reported the highest prevalence of MDR infections, while superficial surgical site infections, pyodermas, and wounds accounted for many of the resistant isolates. Staphylococcus pseudintermedius was identified as the most common MDR organism.
The findings demonstrate that antimicrobial resistance extends well beyond referral specialty services and emphasize the need for vigilance throughout the hospital. By identifying where MDR infections are most common, veterinary teams can better target infection prevention efforts, improve antimicrobial stewardship, and make more informed treatment decisions.
Read the full study in the latest issue of JAAHA: “Investigating Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria in Canine Skin Infections at a Veterinary Teaching Hospital” for a detailed analysis of MDR prevalence by service, infection type, and bacterial species, along with insights that can help strengthen infection control strategies in veterinary practice.
The Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association (JAAHA) is a storied publication presenting the latest scientific articles from around the world. Each month we present a sampling from the current month’s journal.
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Disclaimer: Trends content is meant to inform, educate, and inspire by providing an array of diverse viewpoints. Any content published should not be viewed as an official stance, position, or endorsement by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) or its Board of Directors. This article had editing assistance from an AI software.
