Antimicrobial susceptibility of pathogenic Escherichia coli isolated from sick cattle and pigs in Japan.

We examined the 12 antimicrobial susceptibilities of 175 E. coli isolates from sick cattle and pigs by an agar dilution method. Resistance was found in 78.3% of isolates for oxytetracycline, 70.3% of isolates for dihydrostreptomycin, and 49.1% of isolates for ampicillin. When compared with healthy animals reported by Kijima-Tanaka et al., resistance rates for 11 antimicrobial agents were higher in sick cattle than in healthy cattle, and resistance rates for all antimicrobial agents were higher in sick pigs than in healthy pigs. Comparing cattle and pigs, resistance rates to colistin was higher in porcine isolates than in bovine isolates, but was lower in porcine isolates than in bovine isolates for cefazolin. With regard to the association of virulence factors, higher resistance rates to colistin and enrofloxacin were observed in STEC (61 strains) than in non-STEC (57 strains) among porcine isolates, while there were no significant differences in bovine isolates. In conclusion, these results can be considered helpful for adequate selection and prudent use of antimicrobial agents for several types of colibacillosis.