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Methicillin‐sensitive and methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains and their toxin genes in the nostrils of dogs and workers at an animal shelter
Author(s) -
Huang T.M.,
Chou C.C.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 1364-5072
DOI - 10.1111/jam.14266
Subject(s) - staphylococcus aureus , toxin , methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus , microbiology and biotechnology , enterotoxin , veterinary medicine , sccmec , biology , medicine , bacteria , gene , biochemistry , genetics , escherichia coli
Abstract Aims Methicillin‐sensitive and methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus ( MSSA and MRSA , respectively) in the nostrils of dogs and workers at an animal shelter were cultured. Staphylococcal toxin genes were analysed to identify potential health concerns. Methods and Results Samples were obtained from 441 dogs and 9 workers. The respective isolation rates of S. aureus and MRSA were 49·0% (216/441) and 1·6% (7/441) for shelter dogs and 44·4% (4/9) and 33·3% (3/9) for workers, respectively. Isolation of S. aureus in summer (61·9%) and in adult dogs (59·2%) were significantly higher than those in winter (35·8%) and in juvenile dogs (33·3%) ( P < 0·001), respectively. The predominant enterotoxin genotypes and combination profiles of S. aureus were ( sea , seb , seg , sei , sem , sen , seo , seu ) and ( sea , sea ‐ seb , and seg ‐ sei ‐ sem ‐ sen ‐ seo ‐ seu ), respectively, and 20% of isolates carried food poisoning‐associated enterotoxins. The se profiles in shelter dogs were different from those in general pet dogs and their owners. MRSA isolates were identified as SCC mec IV and VII , and they shared se combination profiles of ( sec ‐ seg ‐ sei ‐ sel ‐ sem ‐ sen ‐ seo ‐ seu ) and ( seb ‐ sek ‐ seq ). MRSA in this shelter had similar microbiological characteristics as those reported in CA ‐ MRSA ST 59 in humans. Conclusions Human health‐associated bacteria and food poisoning‐related toxin genes were identified. Further evaluations of health concerns in animal shelters are necessary. Significance and Impact of the Study This is the first study to focus on se prevalence and MRSA characteristics in an animal shelter in Taiwan. The MRSA characteristics determined in this study were similar to those of CA ‐ MRSA strains isolated from communities in the past, indicating potential health risks in cities.