Urban stray cats are cats without owners that survive in the wild for extended periods of time. They are one of the most common stray animals in cities, and as such, monitoring the pathogens carried by urban stray cats is an important component of urban epidemiological surveillance. In order to understand the prevalence of respiratory diseases in urban stray cats in Shanghai and provide scientific evidence for the development of targeted prevention and control strategies for respiratory diseases in stray cats, we collected 374 ocular, nasal, and oropharyngeal swabs from urban stray cats in Shanghai from January 2022 to December 2022. After RNA extraction, we used real-time PCR to detect six respiratory pathogens, including influenza A virus, feline calicivirus, feline herpesvirus type 1, Mycoplasma, Chlamydia, and Bordetella bronchiseptica. The results showed that among the 374 samples, 146 tested positive, with a positivity rate of 39.04%. The highest positivity rate was observed for Mycoplasma felis at 18.72% (70/374), followed by Chlamydia felis at 11.76% (44/374), feline calicivirus at 3.74% (14/374), feline herpesvirus 1 at 3.48% (13/374), Bordetella bronchiseptica at 1.34% (5/374), and influenza A virus was not detected. The highest positivity rate for Mycoplasma felis was in Minhang District at 31.94% (23/72), while Chlamydia felis and Bordetella bronchiseptica had the highest positivity rates in Jiading District at 23.53% (8/34) and 5.88% (2/34), respectively. The highest positivity rates for feline calicivirus and feline herpesvirus 1 were both observed in Qingpu District, at 14.46% (12/83) and 9.64% (8/83), respectively. A total of 36 samples showed mixed infections with two or more pathogens, with Mycoplasma felis being involved in 32 of these mixed infections, with the highest number of mixed infections being with Chlamydia felis at 25 samples. Respiratory pathogen positivity was detected throughout the year, with peak detection rates in summer and winter. The positivity rates of cat respiratory pathogens in different seasons showed statistical differences (χ2 = 27.73, p < 0.01). There was no statistical difference in the positivity rates of respiratory pathogens between cats of different genders (χ2 = 0.92, p > 0.05). The positivity rates of respiratory pathogens in cats of different age groups showed statistical differences (χ2 = 44.41, p < 0.01). Mycoplasma felis and Chlamydia felis were the main pathogens causing respiratory infections in stray cats, with Mycoplasma felis showing a much higher positivity rate than other respiratory pathogens and often co-infecting with Chlamydia felis and feline calicivirus. The positivity rate of Mycoplasma felis was high in summer, autumn, and winter, with no statistical difference between seasons. These results indicate a serious overall prevalence of respiratory pathogens in urban stray cats in the Shanghai area, showing seasonal trends and mixed infections with other pathogens. These findings suggest the need for comprehensive prevention and control measures to address respiratory pathogen infections in urban stray cats in the Shanghai area.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis from medical centres across Canada.
METHODS: Fifty laboratories from across Canada were asked to collect up to 25 consecutive clinical isolates of S pneumoniae, H influenzae and M catarrhalis at some time between September 1994 and May 1995, and then again between September and December of 1996. A total of 2364 S pneumoniae, 575 H influenzae and 200 M catarrhalis samples were collected. H influenzae and M catarrhalis isolates were tested for the production of beta-lactamase. S pneumoniae isolates were characterized as penicillin susceptible, intermediately resistant or high level penicillin-resistant. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined using a microbroth dilution technique described by the National Committee of Clinical Laboratory Standards.
RESULTS: Between the two collection periods, there was a significant increase in highly penicillin-resistant S pneumoniae from 2.1% to 4.4% (P<0.05) and an increase in intermediately penicillin-resistant strains from 6.4% to 8.9% (P<0.05). A significant increase in high level penicillin-resistant S pneumoniae was noted among paediatric isolates. No significant difference in the susceptibilities of comparator agents was detected. A significant increase in the number of beta-lactamase producing H influenzae, 34% to 43% (P<0.05) was observed. Ninety-five per cent of M catarrhalis isolates were beta-lactamase producers in both time periods.
CONCLUSIONS: During the course of this study, the incidence of penicillin resistance in S pneumoniae doubled. As a result of this increase, infections due to this organism in sites where poor penetration of beta-lactam antibiotics occur may become increasingly difficult to manage.