Coagulase-positive Staphylococcus: Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is the most prevalent coagulase-positive Staphylococcus inhabitant of the skin and mucosa of dogs and cats, causing skin and soft tissue infections in these animals. In this study, coagulase-positive Staphylococcus species were isolated from companion animals, veterinary professionals, and objects from a clinical veterinary environment by using two particular culture media, Baird-Parker RPF agar and CHROMagar Staph aureus. Different morphology features of colonies on the media allowed the identification of the species, which was confirmed by performing a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Among 23 animals, 15 (65.2%) harbored coagulase-positive Staphylococcus, being 12 Staphylococcus pseudintermedius carriers. Four out of 12 were methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MRSP). All veterinary professionals had coagulase-positive Staphylococcus (CoPS) species on their hands and two out of nine objects sampled harbored MRSP. The antimicrobial-resistance pattern was achieved for all isolates, revealing the presence of many multidrug-resistant CoPS, particularly S. pseudintermedius. The combined analysis of the antimicrobial-resistance patterns shown by the isolates led to the hypothesis that there is a possible crosscontamination and dissemination of S. aureus and S. pseudintermedius species between the three types of carriers sampled in this study that could facilitate the spread of the methicillin-resistance phenotype.