Recent reports confirm that R factors is widespread in Korea among Enterobacteriaceae isolated from humans. However, no reports have been made concerning the incidence of transferable drug resistance in domestic animals in this country.
A. total of 211 isolates of Escherichia coli, including 94 strains from dogs, 76 strains from pigs, 30 strains from chickens, and 21 strains from cow milk, were examined for drug resistance and distribution of R factors. And, respective two strains of Salmonella E group and Salmonella cholerasuis which were isolated from dogs and pigs, respectively were also examined for the same purposes.
Of 211 strains of E. coif isolated, 66.8% were found to be resistant to 8 antibacterial agents such as streptomycin (SM), tetracycline (TC), chloramphenicol (CP), ampicillin sodium (AP), nalidixic acid (NA), gentamicin (GM), and polymyxin B (PX).
Among the isolates, 86.2% of the strains from dogs, 70% of the strains from chickens, 43.4% of the strains from pigs, and 28. 6% of the strains from milk, respectively, were found to be resistant to the drugs.
The following percentage of resistance of E. coli to each individual drugs was encountered: of 94 strains from dogs, AP, 64.9%; SM, 20.2%; NA, 12.8%, CP and PX, 8.5% each; GM, 2. 1% each; GM, 2.1%. Among 76 strains from pigs, 42.2% and 2.6% each were resistant to TC, AP and PX, respectively. Among 30 strains from chickens, 43.3% were resistant to SM, TC, AP, respectively, and no strains were resistant to the other drugs. No strains of the isolated from milk were resistant to the drugs, except that 28.6% were resistant to SM and AP, respectively.
Of the strains from dogs, multiply resistant strains (56.8%) were more than singly resistant one (43.2%) and sixteen different drug resistant patterns were observed, The most frequently encountered patterns were AP TC AP and SM CP AP NA.
Of the isolates from other sources, the most frequently encountered resistant patterns were as follows: TC among the strains from pigs; SM TC AP from chickens; SM AP from milk.
Of the resistant strains from dogs, 32% carried R factors and the most common resistance patterns of R factors were AP TC AP and SM TC CP, whereas 35.2% of the resistant strains from pigs carried R factors of which the most common encountered pattern was TC. Of the resistant strains from chickens, 46.9% carried R factors of which the most common patterns were SM TC TC AP and AP, whereas 50% of the resistant strains from milk carried R factors of which the most common pattern was SM.
Of 4 strains of Salmonella isolated, no strains were resistant to the drugs, except that only one strain of Salmonella E group isolated from a dog was resistant to AP. The strain did not harbor R factor.
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