Abstract
The objective of this study was to compare virulence and resistance factors of mucosal and cutaneous staphylococci from dogs with pyoderma in the UK and Romania, two countries with different approaches to antimicrobial use in companion animals. Staphylococcal isolates (n = 166) identified to the species level as being Staphylococcus pseudintermedius or coagulase negative (CoNS) were analyzed for their antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profile and presence of resistance and virulence genes. Of the investigated isolates, 26 were methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MRSP), 89 were methicillin-susceptible S. pseudintermedius (MSSP) and 51 were coagulase negative staphylococci (CoNS). A significantly larger number of isolates originating from Romania were resistant to clindamycin, tetracycline, and chloramphenicol compared to the UK isolates (P < 0.05). Resistance to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, gentamicin, and trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole was more evident in UK isolates. Fusidic acid resistance was common in Staphylococcus spp. isolates from both countries. Most isolates carried virulence factors associated with siet (exfoliative toxin) and luk (leucocidin) genes. All MRSP UK isolates exhibited fusidic acid resistance genes whilst this was very rare in the MRSP isolates from Romania. The chlorhexidine resistance gene qacA/B was frequently identified in CoNS isolates from the UK (P < 0.001). The current study documented differences in antimicrobial resistance profiles of Staphylococcus spp. isolates from dogs in two geographical locations in Europe, which could reflect differences in antimicrobial prescribing patterns. The study also highlights the need for further studies and interventions on antimicrobial use, prescribing patterns and AMR surveillance in companion animals in Romania.
Highlights
Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, formerly Staphylcoccus intermedius [1], is considered the main coagulase positive staphylococci (CoPS) commensal of canine skin and mucosa [2]
Staphylococcus spp. isolates analyzed in the current study (n = 166) consisted of 115 CoPS identified as S. pseudintermedius based on the detection of species-specific nuc gene
These included 49 methicillin-susceptible S. pseudintermedius (MSSP) isolates from Romania (MSSP-RO), 40 MSSP isolates from the UK (MSSP-UK), 7 methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MRSP) isolates from Romania (MRSP-RO) and 19 MRSP isolates from the UK (MRSP-UK)
Summary
Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, formerly Staphylcoccus intermedius [1], is considered the main coagulase positive staphylococci (CoPS) commensal of canine skin and mucosa [2]. It is often present with other mucosal and skin commensals such as coagulase negative staphylococci (CoNS) and other CoPS such as Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus schleiferi [3]. S. pseudintermedius may be pathogenic and is considered the main cause of bacterial pyoderma in dogs [4]. Resistance to topical antimicrobials and antiseptics has been frequently reported amongst human S. aureus and CoNS isolates [9], but only rarely reported amongst canine S. pseudintermedius isolates [10,11,12]
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