Molecular characterization of Staphylococcus aureus from nasal samples of healthy pet cats

• Published in: Letters in applied microbiology 2024-11, Vol.77 (11)
• Main Authors: Bezzi, Amel, Antri, Kenza, Bachtarzi, Mohamed Azzedine, Martins-Simoes, Patricia, Youenou, Benjamin, Gourari, Samir, Nateche, Farida, Tristan, Anne
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Cat Diseases - microbiology; Cats - microbiology; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial - genetics; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus - drug effects; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus - genetics; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus - isolation & purification; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Multilocus Sequence Typing; Nose - microbiology; Pets - microbiology; Staphylococcal Infections - microbiology; Staphylococcal Infections - veterinary; Staphylococcus aureus - drug effects; Staphylococcus aureus - genetics; Staphylococcus aureus - isolation & purification; Virulence Factors - genetics; Whole Genome Sequencing
• ISSN: 1472-765X; 1472-765X
• DOI: 10.1093/lambio/ovae108

The objective of this study was to characterize Staphylococcus aureus isolates recovered from the nasal samples of healthy pet cats in Algiers province. A total of 138 nasal swabs were collected. Antimicrobial susceptibility was conducted using the disk-diffusion method and the VITEK-2 susceptibility system. Whole genome sequencing was performed to identify multiple-locus sequence typing, antimicrobial and virulence genes. Staphylococcus aureus isolates were detected in 23 cats. Among these, 11 were methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) (one isolate/sample). Three sequence types (ST6, ST5, and ST1) were identified in MRSA, with the predominance of ST6 (n = 7). Seven distinct STs [ST398, ST97, ST15, ST7, ST291, ST5043, and a new ST, (ST9219)] were detected in methicillin-sensitive S. aureus. All MRSA isolates harbored the mecA gene and SCCmec-type-IVa. MRSA exhibited resistance to tetracycline [n = 3/tet(L) and tet(M); n = 1/tet(K)], kanamycin-tobramycin [n = 3/ant(4')-Ia), amikacin-kanamycin (n = 1/aph(3')-IIIa], and erythromycin-clindamycin [n = 1/erm(C)]. Seven S. aureus isolates were multidrug resistant. All the isolates were negative for lukS/lukF-PV and tst-1 genes, while 20 isolates were IEC-positive. This study revealed a diversity of genetic lineages in S. aureus strains isolated from nasal samples of pet cats, including multidrug-resistant and toxigenic strains. The presence of IEC-positive S. aureus suggests possible human-animal transmission.