Molecular Diversity of Methicillin-Resistant and -Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus Detected in Animals: A Focus on Aquatic Animals

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) are one of the best-known opportunistic pathogens capable of causing different types of infections in animals. Furthermore, it has the ability to acquire resistance to various antibiotics very easily. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) are currently of great concern as they are the leading cause of infections in humans and animals, with a major impact on health and the economy. Several studies already demonstrate that the spread of MRSA is constantly increasing due to its ability to form reservoirs in humans, animals and the environment. In fact, several works have already identified the presence of these bacteria in animals, including domestic animals, farm animals and even wild animals. Furthermore, the incidence of various S. aureus strains in aquatic animals has also been reported by different authors, although it is still a rarely discussed topic. Some of these strains have previously been associated with humans and other animals. Strain 398 is the strain that manages to infect a wider spectrum of hosts, having been identified in several different species. Aside from this strain, many others have yet to be identified. In addition, many of these strains have virulence factors and antibiotic resistance genes that worsen the situation. The present work is a review of studies that intend to investigate the epidemiology of this agent in samples of aquatic animals from different origins, in order to better understand its distribution, prevalence and the molecular lineages associated with these species.

Nocturnal Birds of Prey as Carriers of Staphylococcus aureus and Other Staphylococci: Diversity, Antimicrobial Resistance and Clonal Lineages

“…However, S. aureus ST49 is extremely rare in humans and has been reported once in a human isolated in 1947 [ 59 ]. Three isolates belonged to ST8, spa -type t121 and agr I, and were assigned to IEC type B. S. aureus ST8 is frequently associated with methicillin-resistance in humans and animals [ 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 ]. Nevertheless, ST8-MSSA has been isolated from wild goose feces in the USA and it seems common in the natural environment in Portugal since it has been isolated from wild rats and superficial water [ 13 , 20 , 64 ].…”

MRSA in Humans, Pets and Livestock in Portugal: Where We Came from and Where We Are Going

“…Colonization and infection by MRSA in animals have been described several times since the 1970s. The occurrence of these cases covers a wide spectrum of animals, ranging from domestic animals to wild species, terrestrial or aquatic, in the natural habitat or in captivity [ 73 , 74 ]. MRSA CC398, which is typically found in livestock, has been identified in humans as a colonizer and a cause of infections.…”