Isolation and Identification of Staphylococcus Species Obtained from Healthy Companion Animals and Humans

Abstract

The close contact between people and their pets has generated the exchange of skin microbiota, accompanied by bacteria that present resistance to antibiotics. Staphylococcus spp., opportunistic pathogens present in the skin and mucosa of mammals, have had their importance recognized in human and veterinary medicine. The objectives of this study were to identify Staphylococcus spp. present in isolates from the nostrils of healthy humans, dogs and cats as well as to determine their phenotype of resistance to methicillin. Strain identification was performed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and antimicrobial susceptibility was determined using a disk diffusion assay for 12 antibiotics. Sixty humans (veterinary and technicians), sixty dogs and sixty cats were sampled; of them, 61.6%, 56.6% and 46.6%, respectively, carried Staphylococcus spp. in their nostrils, and only two people carried two different species of Staphylococcus in the only anatomical site sampled. A methicillin-resistant phenotype was present in 48.7% of the humans, 26.5% of the dogs and 57.1% of the cats, and sampled. These results demonstrate the presence of Staphylococcus spp. strains resistant to methicillin in personnel who work in contact with animals, as well as in dogs and cats that entered the same hospital or veterinary clinic, which alerts us to the potential transfer of these strains to or between people, dogs and/or cats.

Staphylococcus aureus Carriage in the Nasotracheal Cavities of White Stork Nestlings (Ciconia ciconia) in Spain: Genetic Diversity, Resistomes and Virulence Factors

“…Susceptibility testing for 13 antimicrobial agents was performed by the disc diffusion method with all S. aureus strains following the recommendations and breakpoints of the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing [20]. The antimicrobial agents tested were as follows (μg/disc): penicillin (1 unit), cefoxitin (30), erythromycin (15), clindamycin (2), gentamicin (10), tobramycin (10), tetracycline (30), ciprofloxacin (5), chloramphenicol (30), linezolid (10), mupirocin (200) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (1.25 + 23.75).…”

“…The Staphylococcus genus is one of the common colonizers of the skin, nostrils and trachea of many wild animals [ 7 – 9 ]. Especially, S. aureus represents the most clinically important staphylococcal species in human and animal health [ 10 ]. Previously, our research group reported a high S. aureus carriage rate (34.8%) in white stork nestlings exposed to human residues [ 11 ].…”

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry in veterinary medicine: Recent advances (2019–present)

“…The bacteria, believed to be introduced to the farm by insufficient biocontrols, took a significant toll of a 70% mortality rate from the 2019 kidding season. Thomson et al [49] speculated that humans and animals in proximity (companion animals) may exchange bacteria. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria were of primary interest.…”

Canine Staphylococcaceae circulating in a Kenyan animal shelter

“…predominantly detected ( 8 , 12 ). Different members of both coagulase-positive and coagulase-negative Staphylococcaceae ( 13 ), including Staphylococcus aureus , Staphylococcus pseudintermedius ( 14 , 15 ), and Mammaliicoccus sciuri ( 16 ), can also be regularly isolated from dogs and humans. S. aureus is often associated with wound- and surgery-associated infections but also with pyoderma and otitis, while S. pseudintermedius is an opportunistic pathogen causing frequently canine ear and skin infections among others.…”