Unusual recovery of animal staphylococci from septic wounds of hospital patients in Ile‐Ife, Nigeria

Abstract

Two Staphylococcus species—Staphylococcus gallinarum and Staphylococcus sciuri—previously known to be of animal origin have been isolated from infected wounds of hospital patients in Ile‐Ife, Nigeria. These organisms were non‐typable at both RTD and 100×RTD and did not produce β‐lactamase detectable by the normal methods. Their actual involvement in the infection is not immediately clear, but their resistance to most common antibiotics, in addition to the production of DNase and phosphatase, may be indicating that these species could become important skin contaminants in humans and opportunistic zoonotics.

Isolation of <i>Staphylococcus sciuri</i> from horse skin infection

“…This transmission may be promoted by insects serving as transmission vectors. In this respect, a report also suggested that the possible source of S. sciuri colonization in surgical wounds may be flies perching on open wounds (Kolawole and Shittu, 1997).Thus, it is assumed that frequent contact with healthy domestic and farm animals may also contribute to an at least temporary colonization of the skin, and subsequently the wounds, by S. sciuri (Kloos et al, 1976;Nemeghaire et al, 2014b). Despite the rare occurrence of S. sciuri in humans (Marsou et al, 1999;Couto et al, 2000;Nagase et al, 2002), some reports furthermore point to the role of S. sciuri as opportunistic pathogens isolated from various clinical specimen and causing serious infections in humans such as endocarditis, peritonitis, septic shock, and wound infections (Hedin and Widerstrom, 1998;Wallet et al, 2000;Horii et al, 2001;Stepanovic et al, 2002Stepanovic et al, , 2003).…”

Isolation and Molecular Characterization of Staphylococcus sciuri in the Hospital Environment

“…S. sciuri may be found as a colonizing organism in humans, with low carrier rates in the nasopharynx, skin, and urogenital tract (8,30,31). The clinical relevance of S. sciuri in humans appears to be increasing, since the bacterium has been associated with various infections, such as endocarditis (12), peritonitis (35), septic shock (13), urinary tract infection (30), endophthalmitis (3), pelvic inflammatory disease (31), and, most frequently, wound infections (17,25,28).The capacity of this species to carry antimicrobial resistance determinants has been well documented (8,17,20,25,28). Furthermore, it was suggested that the mecA gene of methicillin-resistant strains of staphylococci originated from an evolutionary relative of the mecA homologue that has been identified in S. sciuri (7, 16).…”

Isolation of culturable aerobic bacteria and evidence of Kerstersia gyiorum from the blowhole of captive Yangtze finless porpoises

“…S. sciuri is widespread in nature and associated with a variety of domestic and wild animals (Couto et al 2000;Cox et al 1988). It has also been shown to be an invasive pathogen causing wound infections, endocarditis and peritonitis in humans (Hedin and Widerström 1998;Kolawole and Shittu 1997;Wallet et al 2000). P. aeruginosa has been isolated frequently from the respiratory tract of aquatic mammals, such as bottlenose dolphins (T. truncatus) (Avalos-Téllez et al 2010), belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) (Dunn et al 2001) and whiteside dolphins (Lagenorhynchus acutus) (Buck et al 1988).…”