Nasal microbiota profiles in shelter dogs with dermatological conditions carrying methicillin-resistant and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus species

Abstract

Dermatological conditions may be complicated by Staphylococcus spp. infections influencing skin and nasal microbiota. We investigated the associations between the resident nasal microbiota of shelter dogs with and without dermatological conditions carrying methicillin-resistant and -sensitive Staphylococcus spp. Nasal sampling of 16 dogs with and 52 without dermatological conditions were performed upon shelter admission (baseline), and then bi-weekly until discharge (follow-up). All samples were cultured for Staphylococcus spp., while 52 samples underwent microbiota analysis. Two elastic net logistic regression (ENR) models (Model 1—baseline samples; Model 2—follow-up samples) were developed to identify predictive associations between dermatological conditions and the variables: signalment, antimicrobial treatment, and nasal microbial genera. Follow-up nasal samples of dogs with dermatological conditions had decreased microbiota diversity and abundance compared to dogs without dermatological conditions. Our ENR models identified predictive differences in signalment and nasal microbial genera between baseline and follow-up samples. Co-occurrence networks showed nasal microbial genera were more dissimilar when comparing dogs with and without dermatological conditions at follow-up. Overall, this study is the first to investigate Staphylococcus spp. carriage effects on nasal microbial genera in a canine animal shelter population, and ultimately reveals the importance of investigating decolonisation and probiotic therapies for restoring nasal microbiota.

Canine Staphylococcaceae circulating in a Kenyan animal shelter

“…Therefore, the composition of the upper airway microbiota was shown to be less conserved than the lower airway counterpart ( 10 ). More than 20 different phyla were identified in the nasal cavity of healthy dogs ( 11 ) with proteobacteria such as Moraxella spp. or Ralstonia spp.…”

“…A recent study performed on Australian shelter dogs identified at least one Staphylococcus spp. in ~75% of the sampled dogs, of which 10%–20% were methicillin-resistant ( 11 ). Numerous reports confirmed the zoonotic potential of several Staphylococcaceae species ( 18 , 20 ), which can pose a risk to animal- and human health, especially when they are multi-drug resistant (MDR).…”