Methicillin-resistant Staphylococci in canine pyoderma in Thailand

Putu Ayu Sisyawati Putriningsih; Patchara Phuektes; Suphattra Jittimanee; Jaruwan Kampa

doi:10.14202/vetworld.2023.2340-2348

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococci in canine pyoderma in Thailand

Vet World. 2023 Nov;16(11):2340-2348. doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2023.2340-2348. Epub 2023 Nov 27.

Authors

Putu Ayu Sisyawati Putriningsih^{1

2}, Patchara Phuektes³, Suphattra Jittimanee³, Jaruwan Kampa³

Affiliations

¹ Graduate School, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand.
² Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Udayana University, Bali, 80361, Indonesia.
³ Division of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand.

Abstract

Background and aims: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococci (MRS) seriously threatens animal and human health. Repeated antibiotic use allows the bacteria to develop resistance to several antibiotic classes and become multidrug-resistant (MDR). Canine pyoderma, a common skin condition in dogs, is mainly caused by Staphylococci, including MRS. Detecting this infection in all canine populations is crucial to develop a proper preventive plan. This study estimated the prevalence, antibiogram, and risk factors of MRS in canine patients at a referral animal hospital in Khon Kaen, Thailand.

Materials and methods: Skin swabs and relevant information were collected from 56 client-owned dogs that visited the hospital from September 2019 to September 2020. Staphylococci colonies were subjected to molecular identification and antibiotic susceptibility tests using an automated system (VITEK^® 2). These colonies were also genetically identified using multiplex-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing. The mecA gene, encoding methicillin resistance, was detected using simplex-PCR. The risk factors of MRS infection and their association with MRS infection were analyzed using logistic regression and the Chi-square test, respectively.

Results: The prevalence of MRS was found to be 35.7% (20/56 dogs). By species, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius was found in 24 of 104 isolates (23.1%), and all samples were MDR. Receiving systemic antibiotics in the past 6 months was a major risk factor associated with MRS infection (p < 0.05; odds ratio (OR) > 1). In addition to the MRS isolates, the mecA gene was also detected in methicillin-susceptible Staphylococci isolates. This might be because of the high expression of blaI, and mutations in c-di-AMP cyclase DacA, RelA, and Fem proteins.

Conclusion: A high prevalence of MRS and MDR was observed in the studied population, which might be potentially due to improper antibiotic use by the owners and horizontal transfer of drug-resistance genes.

Keywords: Staphylococci; Thailand; antibiogram; methicillin-resistant; prevalence; risk factor.