Genetic and phenotypic characterization of methicillin-resistant staphylococci isolated from veterinary hospitals in South Korea

J Vet Diagn Invest. 2012 May;24(3):489-98. doi: 10.1177/1040638712440985.

Abstract

Staphylococci were isolated from veterinary staff, hospitalized animals, and medical equipment from 2 major tertiary veterinary hospitals in South Korea to investigate antimicrobial resistance and genetic relatedness. The detection rate for staphylococci was 55.2% (111/201 samples), and 11 species were identified among the collected staphylococcal strains. The most prevalent species were Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (52/111, 46.8%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (21/111, 18.9%), and Staphylococcus aureus (19/111, 17.1%). The methicillin-resistance rates of staphylococci isolated from veterinary staff and medical equipment were higher than those from hospitalized animals. The genotype of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains in the current study was sequence type (ST)72-SCCmec IVc-t324, which is similar to the genotype of prevalent MRSA strains in human beings and food animals in South Korea. Among the mecA-positive S. pseudintermedius isolates, SCCmec V was most prevalent in strains originating from both veterinary staff and hospitalized animals. SCCmec IVa was detected in methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis, whereas SCCmec IVc was found in other methicillin-resistant, coagulase-negative staphylococci. The SCCmec typing, antimicrobial susceptibility tests, and pulsed field gel electrophoresis results showed that methicillin-resistant staphylococci dissemination between hospitalized animals and veterinary staff is possible in South Korean veterinary hospitals.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • DNA, Bacterial / chemistry
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field / veterinary
  • Genotype
  • Hospitals, Animal
  • Humans
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / genetics
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests / veterinary
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
  • Republic of Korea / epidemiology
  • Staphylococcal Infections / epidemiology
  • Staphylococcal Infections / microbiology
  • Staphylococcal Infections / veterinary*
  • Zoonoses / epidemiology
  • Zoonoses / microbiology*

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial