The occurrence, resistance phenotype and molecular mechanisms of resistance of methicillin-resistant staphylococci from groin swabs of 109 clinically healthy dogs in Nsukka, Nigeria were investigated. The groin swab samples were cultured on mannitol salt agar supplemented with 10 μg of cloxacillin. Sixteen methicillin-resistant coagulase negative staphylococci (MRCoNS), all harbouring the mecA gene were isolated from 14 (12.8%) of the 109 dogs studied. The MRCoNS isolated were: S. sciuri subspecies rodentium, S. lentus, S. haemolyticus, and S. simulans with S. sciuri subspecies rodentium (62.5%) being the predominant species. Thirteen (81.3%) of the MRCoNS were resistant to tetracycline while 12 (75%) and 10 (62.5%) were resistant to kanamycin and trimthoprim-sulphamethoxazole respectively. None of the isolates was resistant to fusidic acid, linezolid and vancomycin. Thirteen (81.3%) of the MRCoNS were multi-drug resistance (MDR). Other antimicrobial genes detected were: blaZ, tet(K), tet(M), tet(L), erm(B), lnu(A), aacA-aphD, aphA3, str, dfr(G), catpC221, and catpC223. Methicillin-resistant staphylococci are common colonizers of healthy dogs in Nigeria with a major species detected being S. sciuri subsp. rodentium.

This study was conducted to determine the species distribution, antimicrobial resistance pheno- and genotypes and virulence traits of mannitol-positive methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS) isolated from pigs in Nsukka agricultural zone, Nigeria. Twenty mannitol-positive methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococcal (MRCoNS) strains harboring the mecA gene were detected among the 64 Staphylococcus isolates from 291 pigs. A total of 4 species were identified among the MRCoNS isolates, namely, Staphylococcus sciuri (10 strains), Staphylococcus lentus (6 strains), Staphylococcus cohnii (3 strains) and Staphylococcus haemolyticus (one strain). All MRCoNS isolates were multidrug-resistant. In addition to β-lactams, the strains were resistant to fusidic acid (85%), tetracycline (75%), streptomycin (65%), ciprofloxacin (65%), and trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole (60%). In addition to the mecA and blaZ genes, other antimicrobial resistance genes detected were tet(K), tet(M), tet(L), erm(B), erm(C), aacA-aphD, aphA3, str, dfrK, dfrG, cat pC221, and cat pC223. Thirteen isolates were found to be ciprofloxacin-resistant, and all harbored a Ser84Leu mutation within the QRDR of the GyrA protein, with 3 isolates showing 2 extra substitutions, Ser98Ile and Arg100Lys (one strain) and Glu88Asp and Asp96Thr (2 strains). A phylogenetic tree of the QRDR nucleotide sequences in the gyrA gene revealed a high nucleotide diversity, with several major clusters not associated with the bacterial species. Our study highlights the possibility of transfer of mecA and other antimicrobial resistance genes from MRCoNS to pathogenic bacteria, which is a serious public health and veterinary concern.

Eleven multiresistant Escherichia coli strains of animal and human origin were assayed for the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes, integrons and associated gene cassettes, as well as plasmid content. Ciprofloxacin-resistant strains were screened for amino acid changes in GyrA and ParC proteins. The E. coli strains were found to harbor a variety of genes including cmlA, aac (3)-II, aac (3)-IV, aadA, strA-strB, tet (A), tet (B), bla(TEM), sul1, sul2 and sul3. Four of the eight int I1-positive strains were also positive for qacE Δ1 -sul1 region and the following gene cassettes were detected: dfrA7, dfrA12 + orfF + aadA2 and bla(OXA1)+ aadA1. Five strains contained class 1 integrons lacking the qacE Δ1 -sul1 region and they showed a single type of gene cassette arrangement (estX + psp + aadA2 + cmlA + aadA1 + qacH + IS440 + sul3). The two int I2-positive strains carried the same type of gene cassette arrangement (dfrA1 + sat + aadA1). The seven ciprofloxacin-resistant E. coli strains exhibited a Ser-83-Leu substitution in GyrA protein and a Ser-80-Ile substitution in ParC protein; six of these strains presented an additional substitution in GyrA (Asp-87-Gly or Asp-87-Asn) and one strain in ParC (Glu-84-Gly). Eight different plasmid-replicon-types were detected among the 11 E. coli strains, IncF being the most frequent one detected, found in nine strains; other plasmid replicon types detected were IncX, IncI1, IncY, IncW, IncFIC, IncB/O, and IncK. Antimicrobial resistance in the E. coli strains studied was mediated by a variety of genes, some of them included in integrons, as well as by mutations gyr A and par C genes.

Anthropophilic dermatophytes are among the fungal agents associated with dermatophytosis in animals in Nsukka Agricultural Zone. These dermatophytes could constitute health risks to humans in contact with the animals.

Background: Methicillin-resistant (MR) staphylococci, particularly Staphylococcus aureus, have been reported in pigs in many European, American and Asian countries. However, in Nigeria, information on the occurrence and characteristics of methicillinresistant staphylococci (MRS) is lacking. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and molecular characterization of MRS in pigs in Nsukka Agricultural Zone of Enugu State, Nigeria.Methods: Nasal and ear swab samples were collected from 291 randomly selected pigs in 16 farms in the area. After enrichment in nutrient broth, isolates were sub-cultured on ORSAB plates supplemented with 2ml/L of oxacilin. Identification of isolates was conducted by PCR and sequencing ofsodAgene. Susceptibility testing to 17 antimicrobials was performed by disk-diffusion. All MRS were tested formecAgene by PCR. Presence of antimicrobial resistance genes, exfoliative toxin genes (exhA, exhB, exhCandexhD) and virulence genes involved in biofilm production (bap,icaA, icaB, icaC, icaD, icaR) were investigated by PCR.Results: Twenty-four MRS strains were isolated from 24 (8.2%) of the 291 pigs sampled. They belonged to four species namely: S. sciuri (54%), S. lentus (25%), S. cohnii (17%) and S. haemolyticus (4%). Ten (63%) of the 16 farms were positive for MRS and the prevalence in the farms studied ranged from 0-19%. All isolates were resistant to at least 3 antimicrobials. The isolates were resistant to oxacillin and cefoxitin (100%), fusidic acid (85%), penicillin (74%), tetracycline (74%), streptomycin (63%), ciprofloxacin (48%), clindamycin (44%), erythromycin (41%) gentamicin (26%), chloramphenicol (19%) and tobramycin (11%). All MRS isolates carried the mecA gene. Other resistance genes detected were (no of strains): blaZ (5) tet(K) (12), tet(M) (13), tet(L) (3), erm(B) (4), erm(C) (7), aacA-aphD (10), aphA3 (5), str (15), dfr(G) (8), catpC221 (1), and catpC223 (2). All isolates were negative for all exfoliatin and biofilm formation genes tested. Conclusion:The findings highlight the existence of multidrugresistant strains of MR coagulase negative staphylococci (MRCoNS) in pigs in Nsukka agricultural zone, with S. sciuribeing the predominant species. The possibility of transfer ofmecAgene and other resistance genes from the MRCoNS to pathogenic S. aureus is a serious public health concern.