Species-specific and Indication-based Use of Antimicrobials in Dogs, Cats, Cattle and Horses in Finland : Data collected using three different methods

Increasing antimicrobial resistance in bacteria has led to the need for better understanding of antimicrobial usage patterns. In 1999, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) recommended that an international ad hoc group should be established to address human and animal health risks related to antimicrobial resistance and the contribution of antimicrobial usage in veterinary medicine. In European countries the need for continuous recording of the usage of veterinary antimicrobials as well as for animal species-specific and indication-based data on usage has been acknowledged. Finland has been among the first countries to develop prudent use guidelines in veterinary medicine, as the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry issued the first animal species-specific indication-based recommendations for antimicrobial use in animals in 1996. These guidelines have been revised in 2003 and 2009. However, surveillance on the species-specific use of antimicrobials in animals has not been performed in Finland. This thesis provides animal species-specific information on indication-based antimicrobial usage. Different methods for data collection have been utilized. Information on antimicrobial usage in animals has been gathered in four studies (studies A-D). Material from studies A, B and C have been used in an overlapping manner in the original publications I-IV. Study A (original publications I & IV) presents a retrospective cross-sectional survey on prescriptions for small animals at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the University of Helsinki. Prescriptions for antimicrobial agents (n = 2281) were collected and usage patterns, such as the indication and length of treatment, were reviewed. Most of the prescriptions were for dogs (78%), and primarily for the treatment of skin and ear infections most of which were treated with cephalexin for a median period of 14 days. Prescriptions for cats (18%) were most often for the treatment of urinary tract infections with amoxicillin for a median length of 10 days. Study B (original publication II) was a retrospective cross-sectional survey where prescriptions for animals were collected from 17 University Pharmacies nationwide. Antimicrobial prescriptions (n = 1038) for mainly dogs (65%) and cats (19%) were investigated. In this study, cephalexin and amoxicillin were also the most frequently used drugs for dogs and cats, respectively. In study C (original publications III & IV), the indication-based usage of antimicrobials of practicing veterinarians was analyzed by using a prospective questionnaire. Randomly selected practicing veterinarians in Finland (n = 262) recorded all their antimicrobial usage during a 7-day study period. Cattle (46%) with mastitis were the most common patients receiving antimicrobial treatment, generally intramuscular penicillin G or intramammary treatment with ampicillin and cloxacillin. The median length of treatment was four days, regardless of the route of administration. Antimicrobial use in horses was evaluated in study D, the results of which are previously unpublished. Firstly, data collected with the prospective questionnaire from the practicing veterinarians showed that horses (n = 89) were frequently treated for skin or wound infections by using penicillin G or trimethoprim-sulfadiazine. The mean duration of treatment was five to seven days. Secondly, according to retrospective data collected from patient records, horses (n = 74) that underwent colic surgery at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the University of Helsinki were generally treated according to national and hospital recommendations; penicillin G and gentamicin was administered preoperatively and treatment was continued for a median of three days postoperatively. In conclusion, Finnish veterinarians followed well the national prudent use guidelines. Narrow-spectrum antimicrobials were preferred and, for instance, fluoroquinolones were used sparingly. Prescription studies seemed to give good information on antimicrobials usage, especially when combined with complementary information from patient records. A prospective questionnaire study provided a fair amount of valuable data on several animal species. Electronic surveys are worthwhile exploiting in the future.

Voltammetric Sensors for the Determination of Pharmaceuticals

Electrochemical sensors are increasingly being investigated to perform measurements for single or multiple analytes. Demanded by modern medical diagnosis, advances in microfabrication technology have led to the development of fast, sensitive and selective electrochemical sensors for drug analysis. Electrochemical sensors for the measurement of analytes of interest in clinical chemistry are ideally suited for these applications, due to their high sensitivity and selectivity, simple-to-operate, rapid response time and low-cost. As part of the present investigations eight voltammetric sensors have been fabricated for six drugs such as PAM Chloride, Tamsulosin Hydrochloride, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Guaiphenesin, Cephalexin and Amoxicillin trihydrate. The modification techniques adopted as part of the present work include multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) based modifications, electropolymerization, gold nanoparticle (AuNP) based modifications and platinum nanoparticle (PtNP) based modifications. The thesis is divided into nine chapters

Effect of cationic micelles on the decomposition of alpha-aminophenyl cephalosporins

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Isolation of Staphylococcus epidermidis from inflamed upper respiratory tract of an orange-spined hairy dwarf porcupine (Sphiggurus villosus)

The orange-spined hairy dwarf porcupine (Sphiggurus villosus) is a rodent species common in most parts of South America, and little is known about the pathologies that can afflict it. A specimen was delivered at the Wildlife Research and Medical Center (CEMPAS), School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry, UNESP, Botucatu, SP, Brazil. The animal showed intense apathy, with purulent secretion in the nasal cavity and fracture of the lumbar spine. Due to the unfavorable prognosis, the porcupine was euthanized and microbiological culture of nasal discharge showed Staphylococcus epidermidis. The antimicrobial resistance test revealed sensitivity to all tested antimicrobials (ampicillin, oxacillin, tetracycline, penicillin G, neomycin, cephalexin, gentamicin, enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, cotrimoxazol, cefoxitin and cephalothin). This bacterium is part of the nasal flora of humans and other animals, and may cause infection under certain conditions. In the present study, the infection and colonization by S. epidermidis was the probable cause of the inflammatory process. The sensitivity to all tested antimicrobials suggests that this strain has not been previously exposed to such drugs.

Etiologia, perfil de sensibilidade aos antimicrobianos e aspectos epidemiológicos na otite canina: estudo retrospectivo de 616 casos

A retrospective study of etiology, antimicrobial susceptibility profile and multiple drug resistance, and major epidemiological aspects were investigated in 616 cases of canine otitis. Staphylococcus beta hemolitic (26.27%), Malassezia pachydermatis (12.35%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (8.8%) were the most common microorganisms identified. The isolates were susceptible mainly to norfloxacin (89.62%), gentamicin (83.25%), and ofloxacin (80.16%). High occurrence of resistance of isolates was observed to neomicin (30.84%) and cephalexin (27.63%). Multiple drug resistance to three or more and five or more of antimicrobials tested was observed in 34.9% and 15.5% of isolates, respectively. The cases of canine otitis occurred predominantly in first years of age, in mixed breeds animals, at autumn season. The presence of itch, bad smell, and secretion in ear conduct were the major signs observed at clinical examination.

Localized lymphatic sporotrichosis after fish-induced injury (Tilapia sp.)

Localized lymphatic sporotrichosis generally develops after the fungus Sporothrix schenckii is traumatically introduced into skin or mucosa by contaminated plant material. An 18-year-old male fisherman was injured by spines of the dorsal fin of a fish on the left third finger. The lesion became ulcerated, edematous and suppurative and did not respond to tetracycline and cephalexin. Fifteen days after the accident, a nodular lymphangitic pattern of swelling was observed. Histopathological findings and an intradermal test were suggestive of sporotrichosis and mycological cultures confirmed the diagnosis. The lesions resolved after oral treatment with potassium iodide. Sporotrichosis is a common subcutaneous mycosis in Brazil, and there is a previous report in the literature of this disease being acquired via trauma involving fish spines.

Celulite juvenil canina – relato de casos

Juvenile cellulitis or juvenile sterile granulomatous lymphadenitis is a rare disorder that affects puppies between three weeks to six months years old. Clinical signs include alopecia, edema, papules, pustules and crusts especially on eyelids. Definitive diagnosis requires cytological and histological evaluation and early and aggressive therapy is recommended, once scars after recovery can be severe. The choice treatment is the high dose of corticosteroids use such as prednisone. Three animals of canine species were attended at the Veterinary Hospital Clinical Small Animal Service presenting different clinical signs. Hemogram, skin lesions and submandibular lymph nodes cytological examination was collected and analyzed. The treatment was instituted, using cephalexin (22mg/kg, twice daily) up to control of secondary bacterial infection, and prednisone (2mg/kg, once a day) until clinical resolution. Complete cure was obtained at the end of treatment. The aim of this work is to report three clinical cases of juvenile cellulitis in dogs.

Uso de la cefalexina en infecciones piogenas de la piel: comparacion de dos esquemas terapeuticos

50 patients with pyogenic infections of the skin were divided into 2 groups and treated with cephalexin. Group A, 26 patients, received 500 mg/12 hours; Group B, 24 patients, 250 mg/6 hours. Clinical diagnosis was substantiated by bacteriologic study of cultures to identify the organism and determination of its susceptibility to the drug. Group A showed 91%, group B 95%; satisfactory results. No side-effects were noted. Either form of dosage was effective in the treatment of pyogenic infections of the skin.

Micellar modification of drug stability: analysis of the effect of hexadecyltrimethylammonium halides on the rate of degradation of cephaclor

The intra- and intermolecular rates of degradation of cephaclor were determined with and without hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTABr). Micellar-derived spectral shifts were used to measure the association of the ionic forms as well as to determine the effect of CTABr on the apparent acid dissociation constant of the antibiotic. The rate of degradation of cephaclor increased with detergent and was salt sensitive. Micellar effects were analyzed quantitatively within the frame-work of the speudophase ion exchange model. All experimental data were fitted to this model which was used to predict the combined effects of pH and detergent concentration. Micelles increased the rate of OH- attack on cephaclor; most of the effect was due to the concentration of reagents in the micellar pseudophase. The intramolecular degradation was catalyzed 25-fold by micelles, and a working hypothesis to rationalize this effect is proposed. The results demonstrate that quantitative analysis can be utilized to assess and predict effects of detergents on drug stability.

Semi-selective culture medium for Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. malvacearum detection in cotton seeds (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

The cotton disease known as angular leaf spot, caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. malvacearum (Xam) has been causing cotton losses in several producing regions around the world. Xam is transmitted by seeds, which may be infected both externally and internally. Infected seeds constitute the main long-distance dissemination mode of the pathogen. In view of this, the use of healthy seeds is a must. To accomplish that, detection methodologies for the bacteria must be developed be used in seed health analysis laboratories. This study aimed to develop a semi-selective medium for Xam detection in cotton seeds. The semi-selective culture medium was named MSSXAN and it was consisted of peptone (5.0 g), beef extract (3 g), sucrose (5 g), soluble starch (10 g), agar (15 g), CaCl 2 (0.25 g), Tween 80 (10 mL), distilled water (1,000 mL), crystal violet solution at 1% (150 μL), cephalexin (50 mg 1*), methyl thyophanate (10 mg*) and chlorothalonil (10 mg*) - *added after culture medium autoclaving. This MSSXAN medium shows low repressiveness to Xam and it be used for isolation of this bacteria in cotton seeds health analysis. © 2009 Academic Journals Inc.

Estudo de perfil de dissolução dos medicamentos de referência, genérico e similar contendo cefalexina na forma farmacêutica cápsula

With recent advances in technology and research into drug delivery, the modernization of tests and greater emphasis on the predictability of therapeutic effect by means of in vitro tests, the dissolution test and the study of dissolution profiles are gaining more and more importance. Though introduced initially as a way of characterizing the release profile of poorly soluble drugs, dissolution tests are currently part of pharmacopoeial monographs on almost all the oral solid pharmaceutical forms. The objective of this study was to determine the dissolution profile (percent drug dissolved versus time) of the pioneer brand, generic and similar pharmaceutical capsules containing 500mg cephalexin. Three pharmaceutical brands (reference, generic and similar) were subjected to the dissolution test and in vitro dissolution profiles were recorded. From the results of the dissolution test, it was concluded that the samples met the acceptance criterion, as no difference was observed in the percentage of the drug dissolved in a standard time. The dissolution profile indicated that this medicine, in this pharmaceutical form, dissolves readily (85% of the drug dissolved in 15 minutes) and the curves showed great similarity, suggesting that the 3 brands are pharmaceutically equivalent.

Perfil de sensibilidade de bactérias patogênicas isoladas de cães frente a antimicrobianos

Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária - FMVZ

Remoção de antibióticos da água por meio do processo de adsorção em carvão ativado

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Antimicrobial susceptibility of streptococcus suis isolated from clinically healthy swine in Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Absence of detection of xanthomonas axonopodis pv. malvacearum in cotton seeds used in the Northeast Region of Mato Grosso do Sul in a three-based crop season study

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)