Identification and antimicrobial resistance of Bibersteinia trehalosi

Abstract

Bibersteinia trehalosi, (formally Pasteurella trehalosi and Pasteurella haemolytica complex biovar T) is a known cause of disease in ruminants worldwide. Typically, B. trehalosi is associated with pneumonia or septicemia in sheep. Although infection with B. trehalosi is rare in cattle, it is a potential agent responsible for bovine respiratory disease (BRD). Anecdotal reports of increasing prevalence of B. trehalosi in cattle with severe disease have heightened producer and veterinary awareness.

Proper identification of B. trehalosias as a source of an infection is important for making treatment and prevention management decisions. Misidentification of respiratory pathogens is possible without utilization of the proper diagnostic tools. Traditionally, laboratories have relied solely on colony morphology, hemolysis patterns, and sugar fermentation to identify B. trehalosi. The aim of the study was to properly identify B. trehalosi on the basis of phenotypic and biological characterization. Additionally, evaluation of the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of B. trehalosi from bovine respiratory cases were used to determine the impact of antimicrobial resistance on pathogenicity.