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Microorganisms
Volume 13
Issue 8
10.3390/microorganisms13081946
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli in a Diabetic Dog with Recurrent UTIs: Genomic Insights and the Impact of Glucose and Antibiotics on Biofilm Formation

by
Inês C. Rodrigues
1,2,
Marisa Ribeiro-Almeida
1,3,
Joana Campos
1,2,
Leonor Silveira
4,
Liliana Leite-Martins
1,
Jorge Ribeiro
1,
Paula Martins da Costa
5,
Joana C. Prata
6,7,
Ângela Pista
4 and
Paulo Martins da Costa
1,2,*
1
School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto (ICBAS-UP), Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
2
Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto, de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
3
UCIBIO—Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-013 Porto, Portugal
4
National Reference Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Infections, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Av. Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
5
Microbiology Department, Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto, Largo do Prof. Abel Salazar, 4099-001 Porto, Portugal
6
i4HB—Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Institute of Health Sciences—CESPU, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal
7
UCIBIO—Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Translational Toxicology Research Laboratory, Institute of Health Sciences (1H-TOXRUN, IUCS-CESPU), 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Microorganisms 2025, 13(8), 1946; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13081946
Submission received: 31 July 2025 / Revised: 14 August 2025 / Accepted: 19 August 2025 / Published: 20 August 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial Resistance and the Use of Antibiotics in Animals)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) pose a significant clinical challenge in both human and veterinary medicine, due to antibiotic-resistant and biofilm-forming bacteria. We hypothesized that high glucose levels in diabetic animals enhance biofilm formation and reduce antibiotic efficacy, promoting infection persistence. This study analyzed Escherichia coli from a diabetic female Labrador Retriever with recurrent UTIs over 18 months, focusing on antimicrobial resistance, biofilm-forming capacity, and genomic characterization. Most isolates (9/11) were resistant to ampicillin and fluoroquinolones. Whole genome sequencing of six selected isolates revealed that they belonged to the multidrug-resistant ST1193 lineage, a globally emerging clone associated with persistent infections. Phylogenetic analysis revealed clonal continuity across six UTI episodes, with two distinct clones identified: one during a coinfection in the second episode and another in the last episode. High-glucose conditions significantly enhanced biofilm production and dramatically reduced antibiotic susceptibility, as evidenced by a marked increase in minimum biofilm inhibitory concentrations (MBICs), which were at least 256-fold higher than the corresponding minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Sulfamethoxazole–trimethoprim demonstrated the strongest antibiofilm activity, though this was attenuated in glucose-supplemented environments. This research highlights the clinical relevance of glucosuria in diabetic patients and emphasizes the need for therapeutic strategies targeting biofilm-mediated antibiotic tolerance to improve the management of recurrent UTIs.
Keywords: Uropathogenic Escherichia coli; UTI; antibiotic pressure; biofilm Uropathogenic Escherichia coli; UTI; antibiotic pressure; biofilm

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MDPI and ACS Style

C. Rodrigues, I.; Ribeiro-Almeida, M.; Campos, J.; Silveira, L.; Leite-Martins, L.; Ribeiro, J.; Martins da Costa, P.; C. Prata, J.; Pista, Â.; Martins da Costa, P. Uropathogenic Escherichia coli in a Diabetic Dog with Recurrent UTIs: Genomic Insights and the Impact of Glucose and Antibiotics on Biofilm Formation. Microorganisms 2025, 13, 1946. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13081946

AMA Style

C. Rodrigues I, Ribeiro-Almeida M, Campos J, Silveira L, Leite-Martins L, Ribeiro J, Martins da Costa P, C. Prata J, Pista Â, Martins da Costa P. Uropathogenic Escherichia coli in a Diabetic Dog with Recurrent UTIs: Genomic Insights and the Impact of Glucose and Antibiotics on Biofilm Formation. Microorganisms. 2025; 13(8):1946. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13081946

Chicago/Turabian Style

C. Rodrigues, Inês, Marisa Ribeiro-Almeida, Joana Campos, Leonor Silveira, Liliana Leite-Martins, Jorge Ribeiro, Paula Martins da Costa, Joana C. Prata, Ângela Pista, and Paulo Martins da Costa. 2025. "Uropathogenic Escherichia coli in a Diabetic Dog with Recurrent UTIs: Genomic Insights and the Impact of Glucose and Antibiotics on Biofilm Formation" Microorganisms 13, no. 8: 1946. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13081946

APA Style

C. Rodrigues, I., Ribeiro-Almeida, M., Campos, J., Silveira, L., Leite-Martins, L., Ribeiro, J., Martins da Costa, P., C. Prata, J., Pista, Â., & Martins da Costa, P. (2025). Uropathogenic Escherichia coli in a Diabetic Dog with Recurrent UTIs: Genomic Insights and the Impact of Glucose and Antibiotics on Biofilm Formation. Microorganisms, 13(8), 1946. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13081946

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