Isolation and characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from bovine mastitis in North West Cameroon: public health implications

• Published in: BMC research notes 2024-12, Vol.17 (1), p.389-7, Article 389
• Main Authors: Esemu, Seraphine Nkie, Nya'Nying, Shantal Fuenbi, Ndip, Lucy Mande, Bessong, Pascal Obong, Tanih, Nicoline Fri, Smith, Stella Ifeanyi, Ndip, Roland Ndip
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Antimicrobial resistance; Bovine mastitis; Cameroon; Cameroon - epidemiology; Care and treatment; Cattle; Diagnosis; Drug resistance in microorganisms; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial - genetics; Female; Genotype; Humans; Mastitis; Mastitis, Bovine - epidemiology; Mastitis, Bovine - microbiology; Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus - drug effects; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus - genetics; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus - isolation & purification; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Milk - microbiology; Milk contamination; Prevention; Public Health; Staphylococcal Infections - epidemiology; Staphylococcal Infections - microbiology; Staphylococcal Infections - veterinary; Virulence factors; Virulence Factors - genetics
• ISSN: 1756-0500; 1756-0500
• DOI: 10.1186/s13104-024-07073-3

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a zoonotic pathogen that poses a serious threat to veterinary and public health worldwide. We investigated mastitis milk samples for contamination with MRSA and also characterized the MRSA isolates by investigating antimicrobial resistance and virulence factors. We confirmed MRSA in 69 of 201 (34.3%) S. aureus isolates recovered from a total of 300 samples. Of the 69 MRSA, 19 (27.5%) were from subclinical cases, while 50 (72.5%) were from clinical cases. The MRSA showed high resistance to penicillin (100%), ampicillin (100%), trimethoprim (69.6%), and tetracycline (69.6%) while susceptibility was observed for gentamicin (100%), vancomycin (95.7%), and ciprofloxacin (91.3%). Most isolates (65.2%, 45/69) were multidrug resistant. Thirteen antibiotypes (A -A ) were identified and the most prevalent was A (TMP E TET AMP P ). All MRSA produced haemolysins, caseinase, and coagulase. Lipase, gelatinase and lecithinase were found in 97.1%, 94.2% and 91.3% of isolates respectively. Genotyping revealed coa (100%) and spa (68.1%) genes. We recommend educating dairy farmers on the public health implications of consuming unpasteurized raw milk and the implementation of proper hygiene practices in dairy farms.