2016 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

These results highlight the frequent use and perceived benefits of involving animals in nursing homes, but also common gaps in established policies and best practices important for reducing resident and animal health risks. Findings can assist in the development of directed guidance documents for nursing homes to better facilitate safe interactions between residents and animals. Many bacteria can express their virulence via quorum sensing (QS); in Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) the QS signal molecules are N-acyl-homoserine lactones (PA-AHLs). The use of QS blockers or quorum quenching (QQ) to attenuate bacterial growth and virulence is a new strategy for treatment of resistant bacterial pathogens. Azithromycin (AZ) expresses in-vitro and in-vivo QQ effect, and is used clinically to reduce PA virulence. Hypotheses were tested that topical treatment with AZ will: 1) Attenuate the formation of most common PA-AHLs: N-butyryl-L-homoserine lactone (BHL), N-decanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (HHL) and N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-L-homoserine-lactone (OdDHL); 2) Enhance PA clearance from the ear canal; 3) Have a positive effect on ear canal sample cytology; and 4) Reduce the severity of clinical signs related to PA associated otitis externa/media (PAOEM) in dogs.