Susceptibility to vancomycin and other antibiotics of 165 Enterococcus strains isolated from dogs in Italy

The prevalence of antibiotic resistance, with special attention to vancomycin, in 165 Enterococcus strains isolated from dogs subjected or not to previous antibiotics treatment(s) was determined. For each strain, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) to 9 antibiotics was assessed. All strains were sensible to vancomycin. High frequencies of resistance to erythromycin, tetracycline, rifampicin, and enrofloxacin were detected. E. faecium strains isolated from dogs subjected to antibiotic treatment were more resistant to tetracycline with respect to control dogs. Although enterococci from dog show a high degree of antibiotic resistance, they are sensitive to vancomycin. Therefore, the risk of transmission of vancomycin-resistant enterococcal strains from dogs to man is close to zero.