Virulence Genes as Markers for Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Formation in Dogs and Cats

Abstract

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an ubiquitous bacterium and opportunistic pathogen that plays an important role in nosocomial infections. The presence of virulence factors and the biofilm-forming ability of this species contributes to a high risk of treatment complications. In this study, we examined the biofilm-forming ability and the prevalence of five virulence factor genes (pslA, pelA, ppyR, fliC, and nan1) in 271 P. aeruginosa isolates (212 from dogs and 59 from cats). Biofilm-forming ability was detected in 90.6% of isolates in dogs and 86.4% of isolates in cats. In P. aeruginosa isolates from both species, the most prevalent virulence factor gene was ppyR (97.2% in dogs and 98.3% in cats), followed by pslA (60.8% and 57.6%), fliC (60.4% and 69.5%), nan1 (45.3% and 44.1%), and pelA n = 85 (40.1% and 33.9%, respectively). In dogs, a significantly higher proportion of biofilm-forming P. aeruginosa strains possessed the fliC gene compared to non-biofilm-forming strains (p = 0.015). In cats, a significantly lower proportion of biofilm-forming strains had the nan1 gene compared to non-biofilm-forming strains (p = 0.017). In conclusion, the presence of fliC gene and the absence of nan1 gene could be indicators of biofilm-forming ability of P. aeruginosa.

A molecular New Update on the Biofilm Production and Carbapenem Resistance Mechanisms in Clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolates

“…al., (15), the distribution of the genes in the clinical P. aeruginosa isolates was as follows: ppyR (99%), pslA (83.7%), pelA (45.2%), algU (90.4%), and, algD (87.5%) (15). In contrast withPłókarz et al,(22) 28.8% of our strains were biofilm producers (22). The study design and source of samples (human vs. animals) could be the reason for this discrepancy.…”

The Impact of the Virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolated from Dogs

“…This produces an interesting result because in humans, the production of biofilms is typically strong. A study by Płókarz et al investigated the prevalence of virulence factor genes and biofilm-forming ability in P. aeruginosa isolates from dogs and cats [ 68 ]. The study aimed to identify potential biomarkers to predict biofilm formation ability and guide treatment decisions.…”

“…These findings suggest that the detection of specific virulence genes may serve as useful biomarkers for predicting biofilm-forming ability in P. aeruginosa infections in dogs and cats. This information could potentially guide treatment decisions and improve clinical outcomes for affected animals [ 68 ]. Another study by Pye et al evaluated the biofilm-forming capacity of P. aeruginosa isolated from canine ears and its impact on antimicrobial susceptibility.…”

Efficiency of Pyroligneous Extract from Jurema Preta (Mimosa tenuiflora [Willd.] Poiret) as an Antiseptic in Cats (Felis catus) Subjected to Ovariosalpingohysterectomy

“…The occurrence of Pseudomonas spp. in skin infections in cats is common because of its pathogenicity genes including pelA , pslA , ppyR , fliC , and nan1 involved in the production of biofilms [ 28 ]. Herbal antimicrobials could act as an alternative to the traditional antibiotics currently used.…”