Indoor airborne dust in veterinary facilities as a reservoir of bacterial pathogens and antimicrobial resistance

Introduction: Airborne dust in veterinary facilities can act as a reservoir for pathogens and contribute to the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This study examines airborne bacteria and their resistance profiles in veterinary hospitals and clinics. Methods: = 76) across 103 veterinary facilities. Total bacterial loads were quantified by direct plate counts and averaged per sample. ESKAPE pathogens, along with Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Streptococcus, were isolated and assessed for resistance to clinically important antimicrobials, disinfectant minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs), and plasmid conjugative transfer. Results: , these associations were confined to chlorhexidine and correlated with resistance to certain antibiotics. In Enterococcus, these associations were confined to chlorhexidine and correlated with resistance to certain antibiotics. Discussion: Indoor airborne dust in veterinary facilities may serve as a potential reservoir of pathogens, posing risks to animal and human health and underscoring the need for strengthened antimicrobial stewardship, infection control, ventilation, and routine AMR bioaerosol surveillance within a One Health framework.