Keep sick pets at bay or risk the same bug, owners told

Science editoR

PETS should be isolated when sick to avoid passing antibiotic-resistant superbugs to owners, experts have warned.

Veterinary scientists from the University of Lisbon took samples from 60 dogs and five cats that were suffering infections, and also swabbed their owners in 65 households across Britain and Portugal.

They found that the animals were often carrying the same antibiotic-resistant bacteria as their owners.

In Britain, one dog carried two strains of multidrug-resistant E. coli producing, while in two households, both dog and owner were carrying the same Enterobacterales bacteria.

In five households in Portugal, pets and owners were carrying drug-resistant bacteria and genetic analysis showed the strains to be the same, indicating that the bacteria passed between pet and owner. In one of the five households, a dog and owner also had the same strain of antibiotic-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae.

The experts warned that bacteria can be passed between pets and humans by petting, touching or kissing and through the handling of faeces, and recommended washing hands whenever handling animals and isolating sick pets. “When your pet is unwell, consider isolating them in one room to prevent the spread of bacteria throughout the house and clean the other rooms thoroughly,” said lead researcher Juliana Menezes, of the antibiotic resistance lab in the faculty of veterinary medicine at University of Lisbon.

“Recent research indicates that the transmission of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) bacteria between humans and animals, including pets, is crucial in maintaining resistance levels, challenging the traditional belief that humans are the main carriers of AMR bacteria in the community.

“Understanding and addressing the transmission of AMR bacteria from pets to humans is essential for effectively combating antimicrobial resistance in both human and animal populations.”

The research focused on bacteria which are resistant to a type of antibiotic called third generation cephalosporins and are used to treat a broad range of conditions, including meningitis, pneumonia and sepsis, and carbapenems, part of the last line of defence when other antibiotics have failed.

All of the dogs and cats were successfully treated for their infections and the owners did not become ill from the bacteria.

The research was presented at the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infections conference.