Antimicrobial Susceptibilities of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae Isolated from Pigs with Swine Erysipelas in Japan, 1988–1998

The susceptibility to 21 antimicrobial agents of 214 strains of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae isolated from pigs affected with swine erysipelas in Japan between 1988 and 1998 was determined. Ampicillin, cloxacillin, benzylpenicillin, ceftiofur, tylosin, enrofloxacin and danofloxacin were the most active agents [minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs); ≤ 0.025−0.78 μg/ml], followed by cefazolin, virginiamycin, tiamulin, chloramphenicol, florphenicol and oxolinic acid (MICs; 0.1–25 μg/ml). Activity was poor or absent with kanamycin and sulfadimethoxine. Strains resistant to dihydrostreptomycin, erythromycin, clindamycin, lincomycin, oxytetracycline and doxycycline were detected. The susceptibilities to dihydrostreptomycin and oxytetracycline tended to decrease. Investigation of the differences in antimicrobial susceptibility of the 214 strains according to their serotypes, sources, isolation years and regions, showed that the strains resistant to dihydrostreptomycin were most frequently found in the strains of serotype 1a and in strains from septicaemic cases. Strains resistant to oxytetracycline were detected in all serotypes and all sources, and most of the strains resistant to erythromycin were detected in the strains of serotype 2. The frequency of strains resistant to dihydrostreptomycin gradually increased from 1988 to 1996, but then decreased between 1997 and 1998. The frequency of strains resistant to oxytetracycline was remained more than 38% from 1988 to 1998. It was suggested that the strains resistant to dihydrostreptomycin and oxytetracycline were distributed over almost all districts of Japan.