Analysis of Staphylococcus Infections in a Veterinary Teaching Hospital from 2012 to 2015

Publication date: Available online 16 July 2019Source: Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious DiseasesAuthor(s): Hanna R.C. Shoen, Sasha J. Rose, Stephen A. Ramsey, Helio de Morais, Luiz E. BermudezAbstractRecords of all Diagnostic laboratory submissions from 2012 –2015 were examined and subjected to analysis according to species, location of infection, species of bacteria, and antibiotic resistance/susceptibility. A total of 23.8% of all culture isolates were Staphylococcus sp. Of those Staphylococcus, 43% were isolated from surgical site infections.Staphylococcus pseudintermedius accounted for approximately 28% of all staphylococcus cultures, while methicillin-resistant (MR) S. pseudintermedius accounted for 8% of all staphylococcus cultures. Environmental samples were also collected by swabbing surfaces in the intensive care unit (ICU) and anesthesia prep room at the OSU VTH. Isolated bacterial colonies were subjected to PCR for species identification and for the presence of the mecA gene. Ability of horizontal transfer in vitro of the mecA gene was evaluated by incubating the mecA positive bacterium, with the mecA negative bacterium, and then plated onto agar plates infused with known concentration of oxacillin. Colonies were then subjected to PCR for species and mecA identification. Horizontal transfer of the mecA gene was demonstrated and confirmed via PCR from MR S. epidermidis to MS S. pseudintermedius in an in vitro model that mimicked the veterinary h...
Source: Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research