Cephalosporin resistance among animal-associated Enterobacteria: a current perspective

Abstract

β-lactam antimicrobials are an important class of drugs used for the treatment of infection. Resistance can arise by several mechanisms, including the acquisition of genes encoding β-lactamases from other bacteria, alterations in cell membrane permeability and over expression of endogenous β-lactamases. The acquisition of β-lactamase resistance genes by both Salmonella and Escherichia coli appears to be on the rise, which may pose potential problems for the treatment of infections in both human and animal medicine. The prudent use of clinically important antimicrobials is therefore critical to maintain their effectiveness. Where possible, the use of newer generation cephalosporins should be limited in veterinary medicine.

Keywords::

• antimicrobial resistance
• Escherichia coli
• livestock and pets
• plasmid-encoded genes
• Salmonella