PMC

Dendrogram of the results of pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of all 18 E. coli isolates from each department at both sampling times. (a) Isolation from the skin of dog no. 2 at the second sampling event; (b) isolation from a multipurpose towel in the ward at the first sampling event; (c) isolation from the skin of dog no. 1 in the ward at the first sampling event; (d) isolation from the skin of dog no. 1 in the ward at the first sampling event; (e) isolation from an assistant’s cover shirt in the ward at the first sampling event; (f) isolation from a veterinarian’s hand in the ward at the first sampling event; (g) isolation from the skin around a dog’s wound in the critical care unit (CCU) at the first sampling event; (h) isolation from a collar in the ward at the second sampling event; (i) isolation from a urinary catheter in the CCU at the first sampling event; (j) isolation from the skin of a dog in the CCU at the first sampling event; (k) isolation from a collar in CCU at the second sampling event; (l) isolation from a floor section where dogs stood in front of the operation room (OR) at the first sampling event; (m) isolation from a urinary catheter in the CCU at the first sampling event; (n) isolation from a urinary catheter in the CCU at the first sampling event; (o) isolation from the floor in front of a cage in the ward at the first sampling event; (p) isolation from the floor in front of a cage in the ward at the first sampling event; (q) isolation from the skin of a dog in the ward at the first sampling event; (r) isolation from a collar in the ward at the first sampling event. The figure was generated in BioNumerics 6 (https://www.applied-maths.com/bionumerics).

Dead: sampling from Dead fish, Non-stress: sampling before stress; stress1: sampling 1 week after stress event; stress2: sampling 2 week after stress event; stress3: sampling 3 week after stress event; stress4: sampling 4 week after stress event. Statistical significant differences (represented by an asterisk) were tested by a Wilcoxon rank pair-test (p < 0.001).

Sociogram of observed networks with surface swabs categorised by department and time of sampling. Red nodes represent positive E. coli samples. (a) Critical care unit: first sampling event (23 nodes, 44 ties); (b) critical care unit: second sampling event (22 nodes, 32 ties); (c) outpatient department: first sampling (15 nodes, 27 ties); (d) outpatient department: second sampling event (16 nodes, 29 ties); (e) operation room: first sampling event (27 nodes, 66 ties); (f) operation room: second sampling event (24 nodes, 60 ties); (g) ward: first sampling event (24 nodes, 53 ties); (h) ward: second sampling (26 nodes, 52 ties). The figure was generated in NetDraw 2.160 (https://sites.google.com/site/netdrawsoftware/home). https://sites.google.com/site/netdrawsoftware/home.

Non-stress: sampling before stress; stress1: sampling 1 week after stress event; stress2: sampling 2 weeks after stress event; stress3: sampling 3 weeks after stress event; stress4: sampling 4 weeks after stress event. Statistical significant differences were tested by a Wilcoxon rank pair-test (p < 0.001).