Abstract
Dogs are reservoirs of different Staphylococcus species, but at the same time, they could develop several clinical forms caused by these bacteria. The aim of the present investigation was to characterize 50 clinical Staphylococcus isolates cultured from sick dogs. Bacterial species determination, hemolysins, protease, lipase, gelatinase, slime, and biofilm production, presence of virulence genes (lukS/F-PV, eta, etb, tsst, icaA, and icaD), methicillin resistance, and antimicrobial resistance were investigated. Most isolates (52%) were Staphylococcus pseudointermedius, but 20% and 8% belonged to Staphylococcus xylosus and Staphylococcus chromogenes, respectively. Gelatinase, biofilm, and slime production were very common characters among the investigated strains with 80%, 86%, and 76% positive isolates, respectively. Virulence genes were detected in a very small number of the tested strains. A percentage of 14% of isolates were mecA-positive and phenotypically-resistant to methicillin. Multi-drug resistance was detected in 76% of tested staphylococci; in particular, high levels of resistance were detected for ampicillin, amoxicillin, clindamycin, and erythromycin. In conclusion, although staphylococci are considered to be opportunistic bacteria, the obtained data showed that dogs may be infected by Staphylococcus strains with important virulence characteristics and a high antimicrobial resistance.
Highlights
The Staphylococcus genus includes a heterogeneous group of Gram-positive bacteria.The genus comprises 81 species and subspecies divided in the two groups, coagulasepositive (CoPS) and coagulase-negative (CoNS), based mainly on clinical and diagnostic aspects [1,2]
50 Staphylococcus spp. isolates were included in the study
Even though Staphylococcus spp. are considered to be opportunistic bacteria in dogs, they can infect these animals in different clinical forms
Summary
The Staphylococcus genus includes a heterogeneous group of Gram-positive bacteria. The genus comprises 81 species and subspecies divided in the two groups, coagulasepositive (CoPS) and coagulase-negative (CoNS), based mainly on clinical and diagnostic aspects [1,2]. CoPS are well recognized as important human and animal pathogens, while the role of CoNS as primary pathogens or opportunistic bacteria is still under discussion [3,4]. Staphylococci are ubiquitous bacteria, and most of them are mammalian commensals that colonize niches such as skin, nares, and diverse mucosal membranes [1]. Animals are generally considered carriers of both CoPS and CoNS, mainly at skin level, and they are sometimes responsible to carry these bacteria, or their toxins, to humans via direct contact or foods [1,5,6]. Staphylococci can cause severe disease in livestock (mainly dairy animals) and pets [1,7]
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