Antibiotic resistance and epidemiological typing of Staphylococcus aureus strains from ovine and rabbit mastitis

• Published in: International journal of antimicrobial agents Vol. 23; no. 3; pp. 268 - 272
• Main Authors: Goñi, P, Vergara, Y, Ruiz, J, Albizu, I, Vila, J, Gómez-Lus, R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier B.V 01.03.2004; Amsterdam Elsevier; New York, NY
• Subjects: Animals; Antibacterial agents; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Bacterial Typing Techniques; Biological and medical sciences; DNA Fingerprinting; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; DNA, Bacterial - isolation & purification; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; Female; Humans; Mastitis; Mastitis - drug therapy; Mastitis - epidemiology; Mastitis - microbiology; Mastitis - veterinary; Medical sciences; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Phenotype; Phylogeny; Plasmids; Rabbits - microbiology; Resistance; S. aureus; Sheep; Sheep Diseases - drug therapy; Sheep Diseases - epidemiology; Sheep Diseases - microbiology; Spain - epidemiology; Staphylococcus aureus; Staphylococcus aureus - classification; Staphylococcus aureus - drug effects; Staphylococcus aureus - genetics; Staphylococcus aureus - isolation & purification; Typing; Europe; Spain; Resistance; Mastitis; S. aureus; Typing; Plasmids; Rabbit; Epidemiology; Bacteria; Micrococcales; Micrococcaceae; Ungulata; Public health; Staphylococcus aureus; Lagomorpha; Strain; Infection; Plasmid; Mammary gland diseases; Vertebrata; Antibiotic; Mammalia; Sensitivity resistance; Animal; Bacteriosis; Sheep; Artiodactyla; Antibacterial agent; Staphylococcal infection
• ISSN: 0924-8579; 1872-7913
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2003.07.016

Mastitis is a serious problem for sheep and rabbit farms, Staphylococcus aureus being the main causal agent. Fifty strains of S. aureus isolated from sheep and rabbits from farms located in diverse geographical regions of Spain were studied. Their resistance pattern and plasmid profile was related to the pulsotypes obtained by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The results showed great heterogeneity in staphylococci isolated from sheep, both in pulse-type and plasmid profile. We found in addition, antibiotic-resistant strains and aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme (AGMEs) producer strains. The genotypes corresponding to staphylococci isolated from rabbits were less heterogeneous, although they also could be subdivided by plasmid profile and resistance patterns. Resistance to antibiotics such as methicillin or AGMEs production could indicate possible human origin of the strains or a possible source of resistant strains for human beings.