Characterization of antibiotic and disinfectant susceptibility profiles among Pseudomonas aeruginosa veterinary isolates recovered during 1994-2003.

To evaluate susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa veterinary isolates to antibiotics and disinfectants. Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates collected from dogs (n = 155) and other animals (n = 20) from sixteen states during 1994-2003 were tested for susceptibility. Most isolates were resistant to twenty-one antimicrobials tested, and the highest prevalence of resistance was to β-lactams (93.8%) and sulphonamides (93.5%). Fluoroquinolone resistance did not increase from 1994 to 2003. Ciprofloxacin and enrofloxacin had a 5 and 16% prevalence of resistance, respectively, while sarafloxacin and nalidixic acid had a prevalence of resistance of 97 and 98%, respectively. Strains were pan-resistant to triclosan and chlorhexidine, were highly resistant to benzalkonium chloride and demonstrated high susceptibility to other disinfectants. Didecyldimethylammonium chloride was the most active ammonium chloride. Inducible resistance was observed to cetyl ammonium halides, chlorhexidine and benzyl ammonium chlorides, which formulate disinfectants used in veterinary clinics and dairies. Organic acid inhibition was associated with the dissociated acid species. Dissociated organic acids appear able to inhibit Ps. aeruginosa, and rates of fluoroquinolone resistance merit sustained companion animal isolate surveillance. This is the first report of Ps. aeruginosa susceptibility to 24 disinfectants and illustrates the high resistance of Ps. aeruginosa to both antibiotics and disinfectants.