Identification through MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and antimicrobial susceptibility profiling of bacterial pathogens isolated from sow urinary tract infection

ABSTRACTBackground: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common disease in sows due to intensification of pig production. Despite direct economic losses, UTI prevalence and respective microbial identification are still poorly studied.Objective: The aims of this study were to identify the causative agents of UTI in sows through MALDI-TOF MS and to characterize their antimicrobial resistance profiles.Materials and Methods: Urine samples from 300 sows of three herds from Sao Paulo State (Brazil) were screened for UTI; suggestive samples were submitted to bacterial isolation. Species identification was performed by MALDI-TOF MS and susceptibility profiles were determined using disc diffusion method.Results: 128 samples suggestive of UTI were analyzed; 48% of the animals presented UTI caused by a single pathogen, while the remaining 52% presented mixed infection. Escherichia coli stood out with the highest frequency among both single and mixed infections. The Gram-positive were exclusively associated with 27% of...