Abstract
Successful treatment of canine pyoderma has become compromised owing to the development of antimicrobial resistance with accompanying recurrence of infection. Canine skin samples submitted to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory for microbiological culture and sensitivity between January 2007 and June 2010, from which Staphylococcus intermedius was isolated, were selected for this investigation. Antimicrobial resistance of S. intermedius was most prevalent with reference to ampicillin followed by resistance to tetracycline and then potentiated sulphonamides. In general, antimicrobial resistance was low and very few methicillin-resistant isolates were detected. Temporal trends were not noted, except for ampicillin, with isolates becoming more susceptible, and potentiated sulphonamides (co-trimoxazole), with isolates becoming more resistant. In general, both the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion and broth dilution minimum inhibitory concentration tests yielded similar results for the antimicrobial agents tested. The main difference was evident in the over-estimation of resistance by the Kirby-Bauer test for ampicillin, co-trimoxazole, penicillin and doxycycline. Knowledge of trends in bacterial resistance is important for veterinarians when presented with canine pyoderma. Analysis of antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of S. intermedius isolated from canine pyodermas will guide veterinarians' use of the most appropriate agent and encourage prudent use of antimicrobials in companion animals.
Highlights
Staphylococcus species are facultatively anaerobic, Gram-positive, coccal bacteria that belong to the family Micrococcaceae (Rich 2005)
The name S. intermedius was proposed for isolates that differed from Staphylococcus aureus in various biochemical reactions and with regard to cell wall composition (Hajek 1976)
S. intermedius is less resistant to erythromycin, clindamycin, cephalexin, oxacillin, amoxicillin–clavulanic acid, enrofloxacin, marbofloxacin and gentamicin, with most strains being susceptible to these drugs (Pellerin et al 1998)
Summary
Staphylococcus species are facultatively anaerobic, Gram-positive, coccal bacteria that belong to the family Micrococcaceae (Rich 2005). They are mostly harmless commensals of the skin and mucous membranes, but are potentially pathogenic to humans and many other animal species (Vanni et al 2009). The name Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is given to the canine-specific strain of S. intermedius. Similar to S. aureus colonisation seen in humans, healthy dogs frequently carry S. intermedius as part of their normal microflora. It is a transient inhabitant of the skin and hair coat. S. intermedius is not usually isolated from humans owing to its host-specificity for canine corneocytes, transmission between humans and their pets has been demonstrated (Fitzgerald 2009)
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