Virulence Potential of Biofilm-Producing <i>Staphylococcus pseudintermedius</i>, <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> and <i>Staphylococcus coagulans</i> Causing Skin Infections in Companion Animals

• Main Authors: Mariana Andrade (Author), Ketlyn Oliveira (Author), Catarina Morais (Author), Patrícia Abrantes (Author), Constança Pomba (Author), Adriana E. Rosato (Author), Isabel Couto (Author), Sofia Santos Costa (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: MDPI AG, 2022-09-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

Summary

Coagulase-positive staphylococci (CoPS) account for most bacteria-related pyoderma in companion animals. Emergence of methicillin-resistant strains of <i>Staphylococcus pseudintermedius</i> (MRSP), <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (MRSA) or <i>Staphylococcus coagulans</i> (MRSC), often with multidrug-resistant (MDR) phenotypes, is a public health concern. The study collection comprised 237 staphylococci (<i>S. pseudintermedius</i> (<i>n</i> = 155), <i>S. aureus</i> (<i>n</i> = 55) and <i>S. coagulans</i> (<i>n</i> = 27)) collected from companion animals, previously characterized regarding resistance patterns and clonal lineages. Biofilm production was detected for 51.0% (79/155), 94.6% (52/55) and 88.9% (24/27) of the <i>S. pseudintermedius</i>, <i>S. aureus</i> and <i>S. coagulans,</i> respectively, and was a frequent trait of the predominant <i>S. pseudintermedius</i> and <i>S. aureus</i> clonal lineages. The production of biofilm varied with NaCl supplementation of the growth media. All <i>S. pseudintermedius</i> and <i>S. aureus</i> strains carried <i>icaADB</i>. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis of <i>Galleria mellonella</i> infected with different CoPS revealed a higher virulence potential of <i>S. aureus</i> when compared with other CoPS. Our study highlights a high frequency of biofilm production by prevalent antimicrobial-resistant clonal lineages of CoPS associated with animal pyoderma, potentially related with a higher virulence potential and persistent or recurrent infections.

Item Description

10.3390/antibiotics11101339
2079-6382