Strategical Treatment of a Tiger Affected by Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria in Chattogram Zoo

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance has become an alarming threat in the new world for animal and human populations, and it grows due to overuse or uncontrolled use of the antibiotic in the livestock sector. The largest cat species, the tiger, is native to Asia and the national animal of Bangladesh. In Chattogram Zoo a tiger was injured by the fighting, and a wound formed on the shoulder region. Firstly, it was treated with the antibiotic flucloxacillin (10 mg/kg body weight) intramuscularly for 13 days, but when it did not respond to treatment, bacteriological isolation and antimicrobials susceptibility (AMS) tests flucloxacillin was found resistant. The animal was then threated with Cefazolin (20 mg/kg body weight) intramuscularly for 13 days after lab test but the wound was not recovered. Then again treated with the other sensitive antibiotic, ciprofloxacin (15 mg/kg body weight), intramuscularly for 12 days without improvement. Finally, the tiger was treated with the antibiotic, linezolid, at a dose of 600 mg at 12-hour intervals for 15 days, and then the tiger was fully recovered.