Antimicrobial susceptibility in bacterial isolates from Norwegian cats with lower urinary tract disease.

Studies of feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) among Norwegian cats have shown higher prevalences of bacterial cystitis than most previously published reports. The aims of the present study were to identify bacterial isolates obtained from the urine of Norwegian cats with FLUTD and their susceptibility to antimicrobial agents. Eighty-two bacterial isolates from 72 urine cultures obtained from 71 different cats were included. Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus species, Enterococcus species and Streptococcus species were the most frequently detected. The percentages of isolates susceptible to the included antimicrobial agents were as follows: enrofloxacin - 92%; trimethoprim/sulfonamide - 91%; nitrofurantoin - 89%; tetracycline - 78%; ampicillin - 73%; amoxicillin/clavulanic acid - 72%; trimethoprim - 68%; amoxicillin - 58%; cephalexin - 51%; spiramycin - 39%; penicillin - 34%; fucidic acid - 34%; lincomycin - 27%. Although several tendencies towards increasing antimicrobial resistance were detected among the isolates included, the species of bacteria isolated and their patterns of antimicrobial resistance were, in general, in concurrence with the existing literature. Thus, the results do not fully explain the higher prevalence of bacterial cystitis found in Norwegian cats. Moreover, additional explanatory factors beside the inclusion of primary accession cases rather than referred cases were not found.

Absence of bacterial DNA in culture-negative urine from cats with and without lower urinary tract disease.

A diagnosis of bacterial cystitis commonly relies on a positive microbiological culture demonstrating the presence of a significant number of colony-forming units/ml urine, as urine within the upper urinary tract, bladder and proximal urethra generally is considered sterile. Recent studies from human and veterinary medicine indicate the presence of non-culturable bacteria in culture-negative urine samples. The aim of the present study was to determine the occurrence of bacterial DNA in culture-negative urine samples from cats with signs of feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) and healthy control cats by 16S ribosomal DNA PCR and subsequent sequencing. The study sample included 38 culture-negative urine samples from cats with FLUTD and 43 culture-negative samples from control cats. Eight culture-positive urine samples from cats with FLUTD were included as external positive controls in addition to negative reaction controls. Of possible methodological limitations, degradation of DNA due to storage, the use of non-sedimented urine for DNA isolation and lack of internal positive reaction controls should be mentioned. The positive controls were recognised, but occurrence of bacterial DNA in culture-negative urine from cats with or without signs of lower urinary tract disease was not demonstrated. However, considering the possible methodological limitations, the presence of bacterial DNA in the urine of culture-negative FLUTD cats cannot be excluded based on the present results alone. Therefore, a prospective study reducing the possibility of degradation of DNA due to storage, in combination with modifications enhancing the chance of detecting even lower levels of bacterial DNA in culture-negative samples, seems warranted.

A clinical study of canine collagen type III glomerulopathy.

BACKGROUND: Collagen type III glomerulopathy (Col3GP), also known as collagenofibrotic glomerulonephropathy, is a rare renal disease with unknown pathogenesis that occurs in animals and humans. We recently described a naturally occurring canine autosomal recessive model of Col3GP, and the aim of the present work was to study the clinical features of canine Col3GP and compare with the human phenotype. In humans two different clinical syndromes with different age at onset (child- or adulthood) have been observed. In children a more aggressive course with familial occurrence is described, characterized by progressively increasing proteinuria, nephrotic syndrome, hypertension and chronic renal failure. A markedly increased serum level of the aminoterminal propeptide of type III procollagen (PIIINP) is considered a useful marker for the disease. Since Col3GP and concurrent hypocomplementemia have been observed in humans, we also aimed to investigate if hypocomplementemia was present in Col3GP affected dogs. A litter consisting of seven puppies, four Col3GP affected and three healthy unaffected, was observed from the day of birth until the affected puppies developed a mild or moderate renal azotemia. RESULTS: During the period of observation growth retardation, increasing blood pressure, progressive proteinuria, azotemia, hypoalbuminemia, hypercholesterolemia and increased serum PIIINP were observed in all the affected dogs. Hypocomplementemia was not detected. Affected dogs were euthanized between 109 and 144 days of age, and pathological examinations revealed ascites and massive glomerular accumulations of collagen type III, consistent with Col3GP. CONCLUSIONS: Dogs with Col3GP develop juvenile chronic renal failure, preceded by nephrotic syndrome, elevated serum PIIINP and hypertension, thus have similar clinical features as the juvenile Col3GP in humans. Further studies of this naturally occurring canine phenotype may provide more information on the pathogenesis and genetics of Col3GP in both animals and humans.

Evaluation of urinalyses from untreated adult cats with lower urinary tract disease and healthy control cats: predictive abilities and clinical relevance.

This case-controlled study evaluated urinalyses from 111 primary cases diagnosed with feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) and 101 healthy control cats. Urine samples were analysed by standardised procedures, and differences between the two groups were compared by multivariable logistic regression analysis, while controlling for age, body weight, gender and reproductive status. Further, the ability of using urine sediment findings to predict bacteriuria was evaluated. In addition, urinalyses from cats with bacterial cystitis, idiopathic cystitis, urolithiasis and urethral plugs were compared. The main findings were that increasing body weight was significantly associated with increased odds of FLUTD, while the influence of age and reproductive status was of less importance. Increasing amounts of red blood cells and epithelial cells were significantly associated with increased odds of FLUTD. The predictive ability of using bacterial sediment findings to predict bacterial growth was dependent on subjective grading of the amount of bacteria in the sediment and was, at best, only moderate. The few significant differences found between the different FLUTD diagnoses were of limited diagnostic value.

Prevalence of viral infections in Norwegian cats with and without feline lower urinary tract disease.

The prevalence of various viral infections was examined in primary accession cases of feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) and healthy control cats in Norway. Urine samples from 102 cats with clinical signs of FLUTD and 73 healthy control cats were tested for the presence of feline calicivirus (FCV), feline coronavirus (FCoV) and feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1) by polymerase chain reaction. All urinary samples were negative for FCV and FCoV. One (1%) of the FLUTD cats was found to be positive for FHV-1. The results did not indicate an association between the viral infections examined and signs of FLUTD in the study sample.