Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a ubiquitous pathogen and colonizer in humans and animals. There are few studies on the molecular epidemiology of S. aureus in wild monkeys and apes. S. aureus carriage in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) and Assam macaques (Macaca assamensis) is a species that has not previously been sampled and lives in remote environments with limited human contact. Forty Staphylococcus aureus isolates including 33 methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) and seven methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) were characterized. Thirty-four isolates were from rhesus macaques and six isolates (five MSSA, one MRSA) were from Assam macaques. Isolates were characterized using StaphyType DNA microarrays. Five of the MRSA including one from Assam macaque were CC22 MRSA-IV (PVL+/tst+), which is a strain previously identified in Nepalese rhesus. One MRSA each were CC6 MRSA-IV and CC772 MRSA-V (PVL+). One MSSA each belonged to CC15, CC96, and CC2990. Six MRSA isolates carried the blaZ, while ten known CC isolates (seven MRSA, three MSSA) carried a variety of genes including aacA-aphD, aphA3, erm(C), mph(C), dfrA, msrA, and/or sat genes. The other 30 MSSA isolates belonged to 17 novel clonal complexes, carried no antibiotic resistance genes, lacked Panton–Valentine Leukocidin (PVL), and most examined exotoxin genes. Four clonal complexes carried egc enterotoxin genes, and four harbored edinB, which is an exfoliative toxin homologue.
Highlights
Staphylococcus aureus is a ubiquitous pathogen and colonizer in humans and in a variety of wild and domestic animals [1,2]
CC772-methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA)-V (PVL+), “Bengal Bay Clone”, is an epidemic strain emerging from the Indian subcontinent, being common in
We found the same strains circulating among Assam macaques and rhesus macaques (Tables 1–4)
Summary
Staphylococcus aureus is a ubiquitous pathogen and colonizer in humans and in a variety of wild and domestic animals [1,2]. We characterized methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolates from nasal samples in a United States Primate Center [2]. Three species of macaques [Macaca mulatta, M. fascicularis, and M. nemestrina] were identified with an MRSA as well as a few methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) isolates [2,3]. Two different MRSA clones were identified as having a previously uncharacterized sequence type (ST3268) and ST188, which is a rare ST in the United. States but more common among humans from Southeast Asia [2,3] and wild animals [1]. Both clones have been identified in other United States primate facilities as well as commercial facilities [1,3 and unpublished observations]. The data suggested an importation of the MRSA strains together with the primates from outside rather than an introduction by local staff members [2,3]
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