Prevalence of multidrug-resistant coagulase-positive staphylococci in canine and feline dermatological patients over a 10-year period: a retrospective study

Abstract

Coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS) are common cutaneous pathogens often requiring multiple courses of antibiotics, which may facilitate selection for methicillin-resistant (MR) and/or multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains. To determine the prevalence of canine and feline MR/MDR CPS associated with skin diseases, medical records were retrospectively searched from April 2010 to April 2020. Pets with at least one positive culture for CPS were selected. Age, sex, antimicrobial sensitivity, previous history of antimicrobial/immunomodulatory medications and methicillin resistance/multidrug resistance status were recorded. Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (SP) (575/748) and Staphylococcus schleiferi (SS) (159/748) in dogs, and Staphylococcus aureus (12/22) in cats, were the most common CPS isolated. Three hundred and twenty-three out of 575 isolates were MR-SP (56.2 %), 304/575 were MDR-SP (52.8 %), 100/159 were MR-SS (62.9 %) and 71/159 were MDR-SS (44.6 %). A trend analysis showed a significant increase of resistance to oxacillin and chloramphenicol for S. pseudintermedius (r=0.86, 0.8; P=0.0007, 0.0034, respectively). Major risk factors for MDR-SP included oxacillin resistance (OR: 3; 95 % CI: 1.4–6.5; P=0.0044), positivity for PBP2a (OR: 2.3; 95 % CI: 1–5; P=0.031) and use of antibiotics in the previous year (OR: 2.8; 95 % CI: 1.3–5.8; P=0.0071). Oxacillin resistance was identified as a major risk factor for MDR-SS (OR: 8.8; 95 % CI: 3.6–21.1; P<0.0001). These results confirmed the widespread presence of MR/MDR CPS in referred dermatological patients. Judicious antibiotic use, surveillance for MR/MDR infections and consideration of alternative therapies are crucial in mitigating the development of resistant strains.

Intervention with impact: Reduced isolation of methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius from dogs following the introduction of antimicrobial prescribing legislation in Germany

“…Even higher rates were seen in Southern China and a university hospital in the United States, with 47% and 50% of clinical S. pseudintermedius isolates, respectively, being MRSP 32,33 . However, these prevalence data were either from dermatology clinics or referral hospitals, which typically treat patients with more risk factors for multidrug resistance than those expected in our current large population of mainly general practice‐derived isolates 33,34 …”

“…31 Even higher rates were seen in Southern China and a university hospital in the United States, with 47% and 50% of clinical S. pseudintermedius isolates, respectively, being MRSP. 32,33 However, these prevalence data were either from dermatology clinics or referral hospitals, which typically treat patients with more risk factors for multidrug resistance than those expected in our current large population of mainly general practice-derived isolates. 33,34 While the reduction in resistance to enrofloxacin and marbofloxacin was striking and encouraging, the increase in pradofloxacin resistance seen in both MRSP and MSSP from the two laboratories that tested for pradofloxacin is interesting but difficult to rationalise.…”

“…32,33 However, these prevalence data were either from dermatology clinics or referral hospitals, which typically treat patients with more risk factors for multidrug resistance than those expected in our current large population of mainly general practice-derived isolates. 33,34 While the reduction in resistance to enrofloxacin and marbofloxacin was striking and encouraging, the increase in pradofloxacin resistance seen in both MRSP and MSSP from the two laboratories that tested for pradofloxacin is interesting but difficult to rationalise. With enro-and marbofloxacin preferentially targeting topoisomerase IV in staphylococci and pradofloxacin targeting topoisomerases IV and II, isolates resistant to pradofloxacin would be expected to also show resistance to the other two fluoroquinolones.…”

One Health Approach for Reporting Veterinary Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales and Other Bacteria of Public Health Concern

“…pseudintermedius can cause infections of the skin, ears, surgical sites, and urinary tracts of dogs and cats but can also colonize pets without causing active infection. Furthermore, those bacteria are often resistant to many antimicrobial drugs, making treatment challenging ( 33 ). Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus transmission is possible among companion animals, humans, and environmental reservoirs ( 34 ).…”

Topical therapy for canine pyoderma: what is new?

“…In particular, the prevalence of methicillin-resistant (MR) staphylococcal infections due to Staphylococcus pseudintermedius has almost quadrupled in certain regions of the United States in the past 10 years. 1 In addition to this, multidrug-resistant (MDR) staphylococcal infection incidence is rising. 1 The presence of MDR infections significantly decreases the armamentarium of systemic antibiotics available to general practitioners and specialists.…”