First report in South America of companion animal colonization by the USA1100 clone of community-acquired meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (ST30) and by the European clone of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (ST71)

Abstract

BackgroundMethicillin-resistant staphylococci can colonize and cause diseases in companion animals. Unfortunately, few molecular studies have been carried out in Brazil and other countries with the aim of characterizing these isolates. Consequently, little is known about the potential role of companion animals in transmitting these resistant bacteria to humans. In this work we searched for mecA gene among Staphylococcus isolates obtained from nasal microbiota of 130 healthy dogs and cats attended in a veterinary clinic located in the west region of Rio de Janeiro. The isolates recovered were identified to the species level and characterized using molecular tools.ResultsA community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) isolate related to USA1100 (Southwest Pacific clone) and susceptible to all non-β-lactams was detected in a cat (1.7%, 1/60). Another coagulase-positive isolate harboring mecA was recovered from a dog (1.4%, 1/70) and identified as Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) related to the European clone (ST71). The two isolates of Staphylococcus conhii subsp. urealyticus (1.4%, 1/70 dogs and 1.7%, 1/60 cats), similarly to the MRSP isolate, also presented high-level multiresistance. The majority of the methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci recovered were Staphylococcus saprophyticus (5.7%, 4/70 dogs and 6.7%, 4/60 cats) and all clustered into the same PFGE type.ConclusionsThis work demonstrates that mecA-harboring Staphylococcus isolates are common members of the nasal microbiota of the healthy companion animals studied (9.2%, 12/130 animals), including some high-level multiresistant isolates of S. pseudintermedius and S. conhii subsp. urealyticus. The detection, for the first time in South America, of USA1100-related CA-MRSA and of ST71 MRSP (European clone), colonizing companion animals, is of concern. Both S. pseudintermedius and S. aureus are important agents of infections for animals. The USA1100 CA-MRSA is a causative of severe and disseminated diseases in healthy children and adults. Additionally, MRSP is a nosocomial pathogen in veterinarian settings. It had already been demonstrated that the virulent ST71 MRSP is geographically spread over Europe and USA, with potential for zoonotic infections.

An evaluation of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry for the identification ofStaphylococcus pseudintermediusisolates from canine infections

“…From 12 was also used as a control in the tests. As MALDI-TOF MS has been reported as an accurate method for identifying S. aureus, [16][17][18] 6 S. aureus isolates were also included for quality control purposes.…”

Increasing antimicrobial resistance in clinical isolates ofStaphylococcus intermediusgroup bacteria and emergence of MRSP in the UK

“…Since then, one mecA -positive S. pseudintermedius isolate from a UK dog of an otherwise unknown origin was included in a genetic population analysis in 2007 (Bannoehr and others 2007) and, most recently, a further 20 MRSP were reported from 391 S. pseudintermedius isolates (5 per cent) submitted to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory in the North East of England (Maluping and others 2014). Worldwide, MRSP has been recognised as a rapidly emerging, highly drug-resistant small animal pathogen since 1999 (Gortel and others 1999, Quitoco and others 2013, Ravens and others 2014), with prevalences of around 20 per cent of clinical S. pseudintermedius submissions reported from Europe (Loeffler and others 2007, de Lucia and others 2011), 40 per cent from North America (Beck and others 2012, Bryan and others 2012) and most recently 47.9 per cent from China (Feng and others 2012). …”

Methicillin‐resistantStaphylococcus pseudintermedius(MRSP) from healthy dogs in Norway – occurrence, genotypes and comparison to clinicalMRSP

“…The success of MRSP belonging to ST71 is noteworthy. Recently, MRSP ST71 was described from a dog in South America (Quitoco et al 2013) documenting its spread to new areas. A previous study from Norway has demonstrated clinical MRSP from dogs to be more genetically diverse than elsewhere (Osland et al 2012).…”