Publikationsdatenbank

Analysing the MRSA and MRSP prevalence in dogs and cats in Germany (2019-2021):
pathway for continuous AMR monitoring (2025)

Art

Hochschulschrift

Autor

Feuer, Leonie (WE 14)

Quelle

Berlin, 2025 — v, 71 Seiten

Sprache

Englisch

Verweise

URL (Volltext): https://refubium.fu-berlin.de/handle/fub188/47958

Kontakt

Institut für Pharmakologie und Toxikologie

Koserstr. 20
14195 Berlin
+49 30 838 53221
pharmakologie@vetmed.fu-berlin.de

Abstract / Zusammenfassung

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most pressing global public health challenges, posing a significant and immediate threat to both human and animal health. The use of antimicrobials in human medicine, veterinary medicine, and agriculture is a major driver of resistance. Regulation (EU) 2019/6 aims to curb the development and spread of AMR by introducing stricter controls on the use of antibiotics in animals. While the regulation harmonizes the rules for veterinary antimicrobial products across the EU, there is currently no coordinated European system for monitoring AMR in bacterial pathogens from diseased animals. As part of the HKP-Mon project, this study aimed to establish baseline data on the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) in dogs and cats in Germany from 2019 to 2021, and to assess the potential of retrospective laboratory data for continuous AMR monitoring. The analysis was based on a large dataset of routine diagnostic results provided by Laboklin, an accredited veterinary diagnostic laboratory. Samples originated from 3,491 veterinary practices and clinics, representing approximately one-third of small animal practices in Germany. Out of 175,171 total samples, 25.6% (5,526) were identified as S. aureus and 3.2% (44,880) as S. pseudintermedius. Data were stratified by year, animal species, and sample type. Phenotypic methicillin resistance was detected in 17.8% of S. aureus and 7.5% of S. pseudintermedius isolates. MRSA prevalence was lower in cats (15.6%) than in dogs (20.4%), while MRSP prevalence was higher in cats (16.1%) compared to dogs (7.1%). In contrast to veterinary findings, the average MRSA prevalence in human medicine during the same period was lower at 5.4%. For both MRSA and MRSP, the highest prevalences were observed in wound samples, with S. aureus exceeding 30% in dogs and 20% in cats, and S. pseudintermedius exceeding 15% in dogs and 20% in cats. Notably, feline urogenital tract samples also showed high MRSP prevalence, exceeding 20%. MRSA isolates exhibited the highest resistance to clindamycin (59.8%) and enrofloxacin (36.4%), while resistance to sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim and gentamicin was moderate (13–14%), and resistance to chloramphenicol, doxycycline, and rifampicin remained below 6%. MRSP isolates showed even higher resistance rates, particularly to clindamycin (85.2%), enrofloxacin (50.5%), and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (66.3%). The results confirm that MRSA and MRSP remain among the most relevant resistant pathogens in companion animals and highlight their concerning resistance profiles across multiple sample types. Comparisons with other studies revealed substantial variability in methodology, pathogens, and sample sizes, underscoring the need for harmonized monitoring approaches. Our findings demonstrate the value of routine diagnostic data as a scalable and sustainable resource for passive AMR monitoring and highlight its potential for integration into active surveillance systems and broader One Health monitoring frameworks.