Transferable drug resistance among Enterobacteriaceae isolated from cases of neonatal diarrhea in calves and piglets.

Fecal specimens were collected on 22 different Nebraska ranches and at the Department of Veterinary Science from young calves and pigs with neonatal diarrhea. Enterobacteriaceae isolated from these fecal specimens were screened for resistance to tetracycline, streptomycin, sulfamethizole, kanamycin, chloramphenicol, colistin, nitrofurantoin, and nalidixic acid. Of the 92 strains studied, 57 were resistant to one or more of these antimicrobial agents. Resistant strains were obtained from all herds involved in the study. The two most common resistance patterns were tetracycline streptomycin sulfamethizole (22 of 57) and tetracycline (13 of 57). None of the strains were resistant to chloramphenicol, colistin, nitrofurantoin, or nalidixic acid. The 57 resistant strains were studied to determine whether the resistance was transferable. Forty-three of the 57 resistant strains could transfer part or all of their resistance pattern to a drug-sensitive recipient. The 43 R(+) strains were obtained from 17 of the 23 herds studied. Considerable variation was observed between different R(+) strains in the frequency of transfer of resistance to a particular drug. In addition, variation in the frequency of transfer of different resistance determinants in individual R(+) strains was noted.