Investigation of Bacterial Species and Their Antimicrobial Drug Resistance Profile in Feline Urinary Tract Infection in Thailand

Abstract

Feline urinary tract infections (UTIs) present a common challenge in veterinary practice, underscoring the importance of understanding local bacterial pathogens and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This study determined bacterial prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility in cats at Kasetsart University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. Of the 543 cystocentesis urine samples collected from 428 cats, 115 (21.2%) tested positive for bacterial cultures, leading to a diagnosis of UTIs in 95 cats (22.2%). The most prevalent isolates included <i>Escherichia coli</i> (24.8%), <i>Staphylococcus</i> species (19.2%), <i>Proteus mirabilis</i> (13.6%), <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> (12.0%), and <i>Enterococcus</i> species (12.0%). <i>Staphylococcus felis</i> (8.8%) and <i>Staphylococcus pseudintermedius</i> (5.6%) were the predominant <i>Staphylococcus</i> species. Rare pathogens such as <i>Corynebacterium urealyticum</i> and <i>Lactococcus garvieae</i> were also identified. Antimicrobial testing revealed alarming resistance, with 69.2% of isolates exhibiting multidrug resistance (MDR). <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Proteus mirabilis</i> showed high resistance to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (AMC) (45.2–70.6%) and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (SXT) (51.6–52.9%). <i>Enterococcus faecium</i> exhibited 85.7% resistance to AMC. Methicillin resistance was identified in 41.7% of <i>Staphylococcus</i> isolates, particularly high in <i>Staphylococcus epidermidis</i> (75.0%) and <i>Staphylococcus pseudintermedius</i> (71.4%). High fluoroquinolone resistance among MDR isolates further exacerbates AMR concerns. These results indicate that MDR Gram-negative, <i>Staphylococcus</i>, and <i>Enterococcus</i> species complicate the empirical treatment of feline UTIs, highlighting significant implications for AMR in veterinary practice.