Prevalence, risk factors, and characterisation of extended-spectrum β-lactamase -producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-E) in horses entering an equine hospital and description of longitudinal excretion.
Abstract: Extended-spectrum β-lactamase -producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-E) are important zoonotic pathogens that can cause serious clinical infections, also in horses. Preventing the spread of ESBL-E, especially in the equine hospital environment, is key to reducing the number of difficult-to-treat infections. Estimating the local prevalence of ESBL-E in horses is crucial to establish targeted infection control programs at equine hospitals. We conducted a prevalence and risk factor study in equine patients on admission to an equine teaching hospital in Finland through a rectal ESBL-E screening specimen of the horse and a questionnaire. Results: The prevalence of ESBL-E in admitted horses was 3% (5/161, 95% CI 1-7%); none of the tested factors remained statistically significant in multivariate analysis, although antimicrobial treatment within three months was borderline significant (p = 0.052). Extended-spectrum β-lactamase -producing Klebsiella pneumoniae ST6179:CTX-M-15 was detected in three horses using whole-genome sequencing, which in combination with patient records suggested nosocomial transmission. Escherichia coli isolates were ST1250:CTX-M-1 (n = 1), ST1079:CTX-M-1 (n = 1), and ST1245:CTX-M-14 (n = 1). Multiple virulence genes were detected in the ESBL-E isolates. In the ESBL-E positive horses enrolled in a one-year follow-up study, ESBL-E were unlikely to be isolated in rectal screening specimens after the initial positive specimen. Conclusions: The prevalence of ESBL-E in horses visiting a veterinary teaching hospital in Finland is low, indicating an overall low prevalence estimate in the country's equine population. No statistically significant risk factors were identified, likely due to the low number of cases. The duration of ESBL-E carriage is likely to be very short in horses.
© 2024. The Author(s).
Publication Date: 2024-09-13 PubMed ID: 39272173PubMed Central: 5790241DOI: 10.1186/s12917-024-04260-zGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research article pertains to an investigation into the prevalence, risk factors, and characteristics of certain antibiotic-resistant bacteria in horses, specifically extended-spectrum β-lactamase -producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-E). The study finds a low prevalence of ESBL-E in horses admitting to an equine hospital in Finland, with no significant risk factors identified due to the small number of cases.
Objective of the Study and Methodology
- The primary objective of this research was to understand the prevalence, risk factors, and characteristics of ESBL-E in horses, especially in a hospital environment. This is crucial because ESBL-E is a significant zoonotic pathogen known to cause severe clinical infections. They are also resistant to many antibiotics, making them difficult to treat.
- The study was conducted at an equine teaching hospital in Finland where equine patients were examined upon admission for the presence of ESBL-E. The researchers obtained rectal ESBL-E screening samples from the horses and used a questionnaire to gather data for the risk-factor study.
Findings
- The prevalence of ESBL-E in admitted horses was found to be 3%, with none of the assessed factors showing a statistically significant relationship in a multivariate analysis. A relation was thought to exist with antimicrobial treatment within the last three months, but this was borderline significant with a p-value of 0.052.
- Genome sequencing process exposed the presence of ESBL-E producing Klebsiella pneumoniae in three horses, suggesting a hospital-acquired transmission. Furthermore, they identified multiple virulence genes in the ESBL-E isolates.
- Meanwhile, three types of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli isolates were found: ST1250: CTX-M-1, ST1079: CTX-M-1, and ST1245: CTX-M-14.
- Positive ESBL-E horses were studied for a year to track the carrying duration, suggesting ESBL-E were unlikely to be isolated in rectal specimens after the initial positive specimen, implying that the duration of ESBL-E carriage in horses is short.
Conclusions
- The research concluded that the prevalence of ESBL-E in visiting horses at a veterinary teaching hospital in Finland was low. This result suggested a low overall prevalence estimate in the country’s equine population.
- No established risk factors were identified in this study, likely due to the low prevalence and therefore the small number of positive cases.
- The research indicates that horses likely carry ESBL-E for a short period of time.
Cite This Article
APA
Eskola K, Aimo-Koivisto E, Heikinheimo A, Mykkänen A, Hautajärvi T, Grönthal T.
(2024).
Prevalence, risk factors, and characterisation of extended-spectrum β-lactamase -producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-E) in horses entering an equine hospital and description of longitudinal excretion.
BMC Vet Res, 20(1), 412.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-024-04260-z Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. katarina.eskola@helsinki.fi.
- Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
- Food and Feed Microbiology Unit, Finnish Food Authority, Helsinki, Finland.
- Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
- Oy 4Pharma Ltd, Turku, Finland.
- Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. thomas.gronthal@helsinki.fi.
- Animal Health Diagnostics Unit, Finnish Food Authority, Helsinki, Finland. thomas.gronthal@helsinki.fi.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Horses
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- beta-Lactamases / metabolism
- beta-Lactamases / genetics
- Prevalence
- Risk Factors
- Hospitals, Animal
- Finland / epidemiology
- Enterobacteriaceae Infections / veterinary
- Enterobacteriaceae Infections / epidemiology
- Enterobacteriaceae Infections / microbiology
- Male
- Female
- Klebsiella pneumoniae / enzymology
- Klebsiella pneumoniae / drug effects
- Klebsiella pneumoniae / isolation & purification
- Cross Infection / epidemiology
- Cross Infection / veterinary
- Cross Infection / microbiology
- Escherichia coli / enzymology
- Escherichia coli / isolation & purification
- Enterobacteriaceae / enzymology
- Enterobacteriaceae / isolation & purification
- Enterobacteriaceae / drug effects
- Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
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