Source: CIDRAP
A Clinical Infectious Diseases study revealed genetic evidence linking multidrug-resistant E. coli infections in Massachusetts pets and their owners, marking a potential case of cross-species bacterial transmission. In late 2022, a Veterinary teaching hospital in Worcester County identified a cluster of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) infections in cats and dogs. Months later, similar CPE infections appeared in local human patients with no apparent connection.
Genetic sequencing later confirmed that bacterial samples from animals, people, and hospital surfaces were nearly identical, pointing to transmission between pets and owners, likely originating at the Veterinary hospital. The bacteria carried the blaNDM-5 resistance gene, part of an increasing global public health threat. Researchers emphasized the importance of One Health collaboration, integrating human, Veterinary, and environmental surveillance to contain antimicrobial resistance. They warned that without coordinated monitoring and real-time data sharing, CPE could spread more broadly across communities, endangering both people and companion animals.