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Open veterinary journal2021; 11(4); 598-602; doi: 10.5455/OVJ.2021.v11.i4.9

Multidrug-resistant Serratia rubidaea strains in the oral microbiota of healthy horses.

Abstract: Many emergent pathogenic agents are cross-transmitted from animals to humans. Horses are considered as potential reservoirs of commensal, zoonotic, and multidrug-resistant bacteria. Equine bites could lead to infections caused by these agents, considering equine species as a public health concern. The more it is known about the equine oral microbiota the best secondary problems created by their commensal flora can be controlled. There are very few reports of , a zoonotic and opportunistic bacterium, both in human and veterinary medicine. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the Gram-negative microbiota of healthy equine oral cavities and their antimicrobial susceptibility. Methods: During equine routine oral procedures, eight healthy horses were selected for this study, after discarding any abnormal dental conditions. Samples were collected from the subgingival space and gingival margin from the tooth 406 and both the identification and antimicrobial susceptibility test of Gram-negative bacteria were performed. Results: This study reports the isolation of 32 Gram-negative agents, 27 of which were multidrug-resistant to the antimicrobial classes tested. High resistance rates were obtained to commonly used antimicrobial drugs, particularly macrolides and aminoglycosides as to carbapenems that are specific to human medicine. Two multi-drug resistance strains of were found in the mouth of two healthy horses. Conclusions: Most Gram-negative isolates found in healthy horses were zoonotic and multi-drug resistant. This is a strong reason to consider the horse as an animal with a major place in the "" concept. Equine clinicians should take precautions when working with horses' mouths. Antimicrobial sensitivity tests should be taken into consideration when finding the appropriate antimicrobial therapy protocol. To the authors' best knowledge, this is the first report about isolation of from the mouth of the equine species.
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Publication Date: 2021-11-05 PubMed ID: 35070854PubMed Central: PMC8770173DOI: 10.5455/OVJ.2021.v11.i4.9Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research study examines the oral microbiota of healthy horses and their susceptibility to different antimicrobials. The researchers found a substantial number of multidrug-resistant bacteria, particularly a species called Serratia rubidaea, suggesting that horses may serve as major reservoirs for these potentially harmful organisms.

Objective and Methodology

  • The objective of this study was to investigate the Gram-negative bacteria present in the oral cavities of healthy horses and their susceptibility to antimicrobial drugs. Gram-negative bacteria are those that do not retain a violet dye used in Gram staining, a lab method for differentiating bacterial species.
  • Eight healthy horses were chosen for this study. All animals were undergoing routine dental procedures, and those found with abnormal dental conditions were excluded.
  • Subgingival (beneath the gum) samples were collected from specific tooth areas and were then cultured in the lab to identify and test the bacteria’s response to different antimicrobial drugs.

Findings

  • The researchers successfully isolated 32 Gram-negative agents from the oral samples. Twenty-seven of these strains were found to be resistant to multiple classes of antimicrobial drugs.
  • These bacterial strains showed high resistance levels to commonly used drugs, especially macrolides and aminoglycosides, as well as carbapenems, a class of drugs specifically used in human medicine.
  • Two of the sampled horses were found to have multidrug-resistant Serratia rubidaea strains in their oral microbiota.

Conclusions and Implications

  • The presence of multiple drug-resistant and zoonotic (capable of jumping from animals to humans) bacteria in the oral cavities of healthy horses indicates a significant public health concern.
  • The study solidifies the role of horses as major reservoirs in the ‘One Health’ concept, a global strategy that recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health.
  • Equine clinicians are recommended to exercise increased caution when handling horses’ mouths and should consider antimicrobial sensitivity tests when designing drug treatment plans.
  • This study, as per the authors’ knowledge, is the first to report the isolation of Serratia rubidaea from the oral cavity of horses.

Cite This Article

APA
da Costa Pimenta J, Saavedra MJ, da Silva GJ, Cotovio M. (2021). Multidrug-resistant Serratia rubidaea strains in the oral microbiota of healthy horses. Open Vet J, 11(4), 598-602. https://doi.org/10.5455/OVJ.2021.v11.i4.9

Publication

Open veterinary journal
ISSN: 2218-6050
NlmUniqueID: 101653182
Country: Libya
Language: English
Volume: 11
Issue: 4
Pages: 598-602

Researcher Affiliations

da Costa Pimenta, José
  • Departamento de Ciências Veterinárias, ECAV, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.
Saavedra, Maria José
  • Departamento de Ciências Veterinárias, ECAV, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.
  • CITAB e Inov4Agro-Centro de Investigação e Tecnologias Agroambientais e Biológicas, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.
  • CECAV e AL4AnimalS-Centro de Ciência Animal e Veterinária, Universidade de Trás-os- Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.
da Silva, Gabriela Jorge
  • Faculdade de Farmácia e Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal.
Cotovio, Mário
  • Departamento de Ciências Veterinárias, ECAV, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.
  • CECAV e AL4AnimalS-Centro de Ciência Animal e Veterinária, Universidade de Trás-os- Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Anti-Infective Agents / pharmacology
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial
  • Horses
  • Microbiota
  • Serratia

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. Pimenta J, Pinto AR, Saavedra MJ, Cotovio M. Equine Gram-Negative Oral Microbiota: An Antimicrobial Resistances Watcher?. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023 Apr 21;12(4).
    doi: 10.3390/antibiotics12040792pubmed: 37107153google scholar: lookup
  2. Mehdi A, Trifi A, Abbes S, Seghir E, Tlili B, Masseoud L, Noussair A, Ouhibi A, Battikh H, Zribi M, Abdellatif S. Bacteremia due to Serratia rubidaea in intensive care unit: a case series. J Med Case Rep 2023 Nov 19;17(1):482.
    doi: 10.1186/s13256-023-04195-3pubmed: 37980489google scholar: lookup
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