Multidrug resistance of bacterial pathogens in canine pyometra.

Antimicrobial susceptibility testing essential; intestinal microbiota drives canine pyometra infections.

This study characterized multidrug resistance (MDR) and virulence profiles in bacterial pathogens isolated from 23 dogs with pyometra across multiple anatomical sites (feces, urine, uterus, vagina). Escherichia coli was the predominant isolate, followed by Staphylococcus spp., Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus spp. MDR frequencies varied by site: 37.7% (feces), 16.7% (urine), 44.5% (uterus), and 100% (vagina). Among E. coli isolates, 77.4% from uterine samples were resistant or MDR, with 83.9% harboring virulence genes (hlyA, uspA, papC, fimH). Phylogroup B2 demonstrated all assessed virulence factors simultaneously. Clonal analysis revealed that 90% of E. coli isolates from fecal, vaginal, and/or uterine samples belonged to identical clonal families, indicating fecal contamination as a primary infection source. These findings emphasize the clinical importance of antimicrobial susceptibility testing in pyometra cases and support intestinal microbiota as a relevant infection reservoir in affected bitches.

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