Antimicrobial susceptibility of Klebsiella spp. and Proteus spp. from various organ systems of horses, dogs and cats as determined in the BfT-GermVet monitoring program 2004-2006.

A total of 120 isolates of Klebsiella spp. and Proteus spp. collected from horses and small animals (dogs and cats) were screened for their susceptibility to 24 different antimicrobial agents. Klebsiella spp. were included from infections of the genital tract (GT) of horses (36 isolates) and the urinary/genital tract (UGT) from dogs and cats (17 isolates), while Proteus spp. were from small animal (dogs and cats) infections of the UGT (37 strains) and the skin (incl. ear/mouth) (30 isolates). In Klebsiella spp. resistance appeared most frequently to ampicillin (53-67%), sulfamethoxazole (19-29%) and potentiated sulfonamides (trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole 1/19 combination) (19-24%). A further 29% of enrofloxacin resistant Klebsiella isolates were observed for the UGT of small animals. From the GT of horses for this antimicrobial agent there was no isolate detected with a comparably high minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value. In Proteus spp. highest percentages of resistance occurred against tetracycline (90-92%). Due to drug efflux proteins, high MIC values against this antimicrobial agent have been frequently reported in literature. In Proteus spp. relevant resistance percentages also occurred for potentiated sulfonamides (27-37%), sulfamethoxazole (24-37%) and chloramphenicol (24-37%).