Comparative analysis of phylogenetic group and antimicrobial resistance pattern of fecal Escherichia coli isolates between healthy dogs and their owners

To compare the phylogenetic group and antimicrobial resistance pattern of fecal Escherichia coli from dogs and their owners in Shiraz, Iran, a total of 385 E. coli was isolated from 32 dog–owner pairs and 17 control humans. All isolates were subjected to Clermont PCR phylotyping and standard disk diffusion susceptibility testing to 13 antibiotics. Phylogenetic group distribution was significantly different among dogs, owners, and controls. Highest resistance was found to ampicillin (100 %) followed by amoxicillin (96.6 %) and trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole (57.1 %) and lowest to meropenem (2.3 %) and imipenem (5.5 %). Phylogroup D was accounted for higher antimicrobial resistance. Multidrug resistance (MDR) was found in 76.9 % of isolates. Prevalence of antimicrobial resistance and MDR of E. coli isolates from owners were almost similar to dogs and were more prevalent in compared to controls. Similar resistance profile was found in 9.3 % of dog–owner pairs. No hand washing after petting and before owner’s meal or feeding dogs, allowing the dogs to enter inside home, sleeping in the same bed, licking on owner face, and feeding dogs with people foods are common behaviors which can be risk factors for increasing the chance of transmission of resistant bacteria between dogs and their owners directly in either directions or through the environment.