IDENTIFICATION OF VETERINARY PATHOGENS BY USE OF COMMERCIAL IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS AND NEW TRENDS IN ANTIMICROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY TESTING OF VETERINARY PATHOGENS

Veterinary diagnostic microbiology is a unique specialty within microb iology. Although isolation and identification techniques are similar t o those used for human pathogens, many veterinary pathogens require un ique cultivation or identification procedures. Commercial identificati on systems provide rapid, accurate identification of human pathogens. However, the accuracy of these systems with veterinary pathogens varie s widely depending on the bacterial species and the host animal from w hich it was isolated. Increased numbers of veterinary strains or speci es in the data bases of the various systems would improve their accura cy. Current procedures and interpretive criteria used for antimicrobia l susceptibility testing of veterinary pathogens are based on guidelin es used for human pathogens The validity of these guidelines for use w ith veterinary pathogens has not been established. As with fastidious human pathogens, standardized methodologies and quality control isolat es are needed for tests of organisms such as Actinobacillus pleuropneu moniae and Haemophilus somnus. Furthermore, interpretive criteria for veterinary antimicrobial agents based on the MIC for veterinary pathog ens, the pharmacokinetics of the antimicrobial agent in the host anima l, and in vivo efficacy of the antimicrobial agent are needed. This ar ticle reviews both the commercial identification systems evaluated wit h veterinary pathogens and current methods for performing and interpre ting antimicrobial susceptibility tests with veterinary pathogens. Rec ommendations for future improvements in both areas are discussed.