RESUMO
Corneal ulcers are one of the most common ocular disorders in veterinary ophthalmology and several factors can negatively influence the efficacy of the currently available therapeutic options, leading to a loss of corneal transparency and, thus, vision. Twenty-five dogs with clinical signs of corneal ulcers were randomised to receive either corneal phototherapy (16 dogs; study group) or topical standard medical therapy (9 dogs; control group). The riboflavin/UV-A corneal phototherapy (PACK-CXL) consisted in the application of a riboflavin ophthalmic solution (Visioflavin®; Vision Engineering Italy srl, Rome, Italy) onto the cornea for 20 min followed by 30 mW/cm2 UV-A irradiance for 3 min using a point-of-care UV-A device (Vetuvir®; Vision Engineering Italy srl, Rome, Italy). The complete healing of the ulcerative lesion was defined as the complete restoration of the corneal epithelial integrity with negative fluorescein staining. The corneal phototherapy achieved complete corneal healing in all the dogs by 20.5 ± 7.8 days. In the control group, only two dogs achieved complete healing by 21.5 ± 15.6 days. This intervention may represent a valid option to hasten corneal wound healing and a clinical resolution of ulcerative keratitis in dogs.
RESUMO
To evaluate the frequency of Acinetobacter spp., belonging to both Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii (ACB) and non-ACB complex, and their antibiotic resistance profiles in veterinary medicine, a three-year (2020-2022) retrospective study was carried out on sick companion animals. Epidemiological data from different clinical canine, feline, and equine samples, were acquired. For each strain, MALDI-TOF MS identification and susceptibility to a panel of 11 antibiotics, by Kirby-Bauer and E-test methods, were performed. Out of 628 bacteriological examinations, 2.5% resulted positive for strains belonging to Acinetobacter genus. Frequencies of 2.3%, 1.9%, and 3% were obtained from both in-visiting and hospitalized dogs, cats, and horses, respectively. Members of ACB-complex accounted for 50% of isolates. Since all strains resulted susceptible to aminoglycosides and polymyxins, no pandrug-resistant (PDR) species were recorded. While 12.5% A. baumannii resulted extensively-drug resistant (XDR), a higher percentage of multidrug-resistant strains was recorded among non-ACB strains (35.5%) than ACB strains (25%). Susceptibility was observed in the same percentage in both groups (62.5%). All ACB strains confirmed their intrinsic resistances. Non-ACB species showed lower resistances against antipseudomonal penicillins plus beta-lactamase inhibitors (P=0.1306), III generation cephalosporins (P=0.0547), and tetracyclines (P=0.0209) than ACB species. Carbapenem-resistance was observed for XDR A. baumannii (12.5%) and, in particular for MDR non-ACB complex members (25%). To our knowledge, A. lactucae represents the first description in two sick dogs in Italy. Furthermore, our results emphasize the role of non-ACB-complex species as important zoonotic pathogens, which could be reservoirs of clinically relevant resistance profiles.