Carbapenemase-Producing Aeromonas veronii Disseminated in the Environment of an Equine Specialty Hospital.

The research investigates the presence of bacteria resistant to carbapenem antibiotics in an equine specialty hospital. The study found that about 1.3% of sampled surfaces had these antibiotic-resistant bacteria, suggesting that careful hospital cleaning and disinfection protocols are necessary to manage the risk of contamination.

Objectives

The primary goal of this study was to:

• Assess the prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) in the environment of a referral equine specialty hospital.

Methods

The research was conducted by:

• Collecting environmental samples from the hospital on seven different dates.
• Examining the samples for the presence of CRE.

Findings

The main findings of the research were:

• Four clonal carbapenemase-producing Aeromonas veronii were found out of 315 sampled surfaces, which is about 1.3%.
• All four isolates contained the carbapenemase-producing gene (bla) which makes them resistant to carbapenem antibiotics.
• These CRE strains had not been reported before and they contained multiple plasmids.

Significance

The significance of the study lies in its findings:

• It highlights the existence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the environment of an equine veterinary hospital.
• While the prevalence is quite low, it underlines the need for thorough cleaning and disinfection protocols in such facilities to prevent the spread of these antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Conclusions and Recommendations

The study concludes that:

• While the recovery rate of the bacteria is low, it signifies that environmental contamination can occur in a equine veterinary hospital environment.
• Appropriate hospital cleaning and disinfection protocols are essential to maintain a low risk of contamination for both patients and personnel in these settings.