Propolis as an alternative treatment for companion animal skin infections: addressing antimicrobial resistance
- 1Centre for Bioinnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia
- 2School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia
- 3Eumundi Vets, Eumundi, QLD, Australia
Abstract
Bacterial skin infections are among the most prevalent health concerns in companion animals and represent a primary driver for antimicrobial prescriptions within veterinary practices. The widespread use of empirical broad-spectrum antibiotic prescribing has contributed to the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens, including Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in veterinary dermatology. This resistance complicates treatment outcomes and raises broader public health concerns under the One Health framework. Consequently, there is a growing need for alternative antimicrobial strategies that can reduce the reliance on conventional antibiotics. Propolis, a resinous substance produced by bees, has gained attention as a potential candidate due to its wide range of biological activities including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and wound healing. This structured narrative review evaluates the current evidence for propolis in the treatment of dermatologic infections in companion animals. The available evidence demonstrates that propolis exhibits antimicrobial activity against key veterinary dermatologic pathogens including Staphylococcus spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Malassezia pachydermatis and dermatophytes. However, this evidence is primarily based on in vitro studies with very limited clinical data. While clinical studies have examined propolis in other veterinary dermatologic applications, no clinical trials to date have specifically investigated its use in the treatment of canine pyoderma, a common and frequently recurring skin infection in canine practice. Recommendations for future research include controlled clinical trials evaluating propolis for the treatment of companion animal skin infections as an adjunct to, or potential alternative for, conventional antibiotics, the development of standardization protocols due to the chemically heterogeneous nature of propolis and refinement of delivery systems. Overall, these findings support the promising potential of propolis as a treatment for skin infections in companion animals.
Related
- One Health in action: regional innovations and shared challenges in addressing antimicrobial resistance
- Targeted next-generation sequencing: a promising approach for pathogen and antimicrobial resistance gene detection in urinary tract infections
- Antimicrobial resistance and documented empirical antibiotic prescribing among cancer patients with culture-confirmed infections at a tertiary referral hospital in Rwanda, 2019-2024.
- High tetracycline and azithromycin resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae impacting treatment and doxyPEP use - antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of isolates from a prospective cohort of men who have sex with men in Wroclaw, Lower Silesia, Poland 2022-2024 - final report.
- An Alternative Approach Against Resistent Infections: Long-Term Bacteriophage Therapy in Cystic Fibrosis.
BibTeX
@article{adra2026propolis,
title = {{Propolis as an alternative treatment for companion animal skin infections: addressing antimicrobial resistance}},
author = {Cherrihan Adra and Malin A. Olsson and Remona Horn and Trong D. Tran},
journal = {Frontiers in Veterinary Science},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fvets.2026.1880076},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2026.1880076},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Propolis as an alternative treatment for companion animal skin infections: addressing antimicrobial resistance
AU - Cherrihan Adra
AU - Malin A. Olsson
AU - Remona Horn
AU - Trong D. Tran
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/22
JO - Frontiers in Veterinary Science
DO - 10.3389/fvets.2026.1880076
UR - https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2026.1880076
AB - Bacterial skin infections are among the most prevalent health concerns in companion animals and represent a primary driver for antimicrobial prescriptions within veterinary practices. The widespread use of empirical broad-spectrum antibiotic prescribing has contributed to the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens, including Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in veterinary dermatology. This resistance complicates treatment outcomes and raises broader public health concerns under the One Health framework. Consequently, there is a growing need for alternative antimicrobial strategies that can reduce the reliance on conventional antibiotics. Propolis, a resinous substance produced by bees, has gained attention as a potential candidate due to its wide range of biological activities including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and wound healing. This structured narrative review evaluates the current evidence for propolis in the treatment of dermatologic infections in companion animals. The available evidence demonstrates that propolis exhibits antimicrobial activity against key veterinary dermatologic pathogens including Staphylococcus spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Malassezia pachydermatis and dermatophytes. However, this evidence is primarily based on in vitro studies with very limited clinical data. While clinical studies have examined propolis in other veterinary dermatologic applications, no clinical trials to date have specifically investigated its use in the treatment of canine pyoderma, a common and frequently recurring skin infection in canine practice. Recommendations for future research include controlled clinical trials evaluating propolis for the treatment of companion animal skin infections as an adjunct to, or potential alternative for, conventional antibiotics, the development of standardization protocols due to the chemically heterogeneous nature of propolis and refinement of delivery systems. Overall, these findings support the promising potential of propolis as a treatment for skin infections in companion animals.
SN - 2297-1769
ER -