What is already known about this topic?: Enterococcus spp., while naturally occurring as commensal bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract of animals and humans, have emerged as significant opportunistic pathogens in healthcare settings.
What is added by this report?: A comprehensive surveillance study revealed enterococci in 14.39% of clinical samples from dogs and cats across China during 2018-2021. Multidrug-resistant enterococcal infections showed significant correlation with urinary tract catheterization and extended hospitalization periods. Notably, pet-derived Enterococcus faecalis isolates demonstrated high genetic similarity with strains isolated from humans, farm animals, and environmental sources.
What are the implications for public health practice?: These findings underscore the critical need for enhanced surveillance of enterococcal infections and implementation of stringent aseptic protocols in veterinary clinical settings. Particular attention should be directed toward linezolid-resistant Enterococcus faecalis infections due to their demonstrated potential for transmission between pets and humans.
Keywords: Enterococcal infections; Pet clinic; Public health; Risk factor.
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