Antimicrobial susceptibility of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella choleraesuis recovered from Taiwanese swine

Department of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei.

Minimum inhibition concentrations (MICs) were determined for ampicillin, ceftiofur, cephalothin, chloramphenicol, enrofloxacin, gentamicin, lincomycin, lincospectin (lincomycin/spectinomycin), neomycin, premafloxacin, spectinomycin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, and tetracycline against a total of 180 isolates of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella choleraesuis (60 each) clinically isolated from pigs on farms in Taiwan from 1994 to 1996. No more than 3 isolates per farm were used. Ceftiofur had the highest activity in vitro against isolates of A. pleuropneumoniae, E. coli, and S. choleraesuis, with MIC90 values of 0.03, 2, and 1 microg/ml, respectively. Premafloxacin was highly active against isolates of A. pleuropneumoniae, E. coli, and S. choleraesuis, with MIC90 values of 2, 8, and 0.5 microg/ml, respectively, which were lower than those with enrofloxacin (MIC90 8, 32, and 2 microg/ml, respectively). Neomycin was moderately active against A. pleuropneumoniae and E. coli, with MIC90 values of 8 and 64 microg/ml, respectively, but was inactive with S. choleraesuis. Gentamicin showed high activity against A. pleuropneumoniae (MIC90 of 2 microg/ml) but was only moderately active with E. coli and S. choleraesuis (MIC90 of 64 and 32 microg/ml). Cephalothin was highly active against isolates of A. pleuropneumoniae (MIC90 of 1 microg/ml) but was inactive with E. coli (MIC90 of 128 microg/ml). Lincomycin had moderate activity (MIC90 of 32 microg/ml) against A. pleuropneumoniae. Chloramphenicol, lincomycin, and tetracycline were inactive with E. coli and S. choleraesuis (MIC90 > 128 microg/ml). In conclusion, ceftiofur and premafloxacin were highly active against isolates of A. pleuropneumoniae, E. coli, and S. choleraesuis, enrofloxacin and gentamicin were highly to moderately active; cephalothin was highly active against A. pleuropneumoniae and moderately active against S. cholearesuis; chloramphenicol, lincomycin, and tetracycline were active only with A. pleuropneumoniae; neomycin was moderately active against A. pleuropneumoniae and E. coli. The other antimicrobials tested were inactive.