Carbapenem-Resistant Organisms in Companion Animals in New York City, 2019–2022

Carbapenem-resistant organisms (CROs) are a type of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that threaten human health. They can infect or colonize dogs and cats, with potential for zoonotic transmission to humans, but their prevalence in pet populations is not well described. To characterize CRO prevalence among gram-negative cultured isolates from New York City dogs and cats, we analyzed antimicrobial susceptibility data from a commercial veterinary diagnostic laboratory serving New York City veterinarians during 2019-2022. Among 16 115 gram-negative isolates, 256 (1.6%) were CROs cultured from 241 dogs and cats. CRO detections and the percentage positivity fluctuated during 2019-2022 and differed across the city's 5 boroughs. Data sharing between public health and veterinary diagnostic laboratories can identify CROs in pets and create opportunities to improve veterinary outreach and control of CROs in companion animals.