Companion Animals: Antimicrobial Resistance in Bacterial and Fungal Pathogens Associated with Skin and Ear Infections

Dear Colleagues,

The role of animals kept at home, which was once primarily for protection against predators, as a source of warmth and food, has evolved alongside human progress. Their "practical" function has shifted to that of being companions and family members. As our perception of animals has evolved, so has our attitude toward them. Just 20 years ago, it was unthinkable for a dog or cat to sleep in the same bed as its owner or spend entire days close to household members. The concept of accompanying animals, once associated with dogs and cats, has been expanded. Every animal kept in a home or with which the owner shares a special bond is referred to as a pet. This close contact between animals and their owners also led to an increase in cases of infection in people caused by typical animal pathogens and infections in animals caused by bacteria and fungi commonly associated with people.

Despite rapid civilizational progress, an increasing standard of living for pets, longer life expectancy, and access to more sufficient treatments, these animals, just like their owners, are increasingly suffering from various types of atopic dermatitis, allergies, and chronic immunological diseases. These conditions result in recurring and more difficult-to-treat infections of the skin and ears. This, in turn, creates a dangerous environment in which the frequent use of antibiotics, antifungal drugs, and steroids leads to the emergence of resistant and multi-drug-resistant pathogens, which becomes a significant challenge regarding the effective treatment of animals and represents a potential source of resistant pathogens for other animals and humans.

Thus, this Special Issue is being launched on this topic. It aims to present crucial information about recent and ongoing research and trends concerning antibiotic and antifungal resistance in pathogens. It will cover the mechanisms underlying resistance, potential transmission and retransmission, zoonotic potential, and infections related to skin and ears in accompanying animals.

Dr. Dominik Łagowski
Dr. Ewelina Czyzewska-Dors
Guest Editors

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• dermatophytes
• Candida
• companion animals
• drug susceptibility
• Malassezia
• mechanisms of resistance
• molecular detection
• Pseudomonas
• Staphylococcus
• One Health
• MDR
• veterinary