Molecular characteristics of clinical methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius harboring arginine catabolic mobile element (ACME) from dogs and cats. (June 2017) - Yang, Ching
Highlights: High frequency of arginine catabolic mobile element in methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MRSP) was identified. ACME- arcA -positive MRSP isolates showed wide genetic diversity and were found in different infection sites. Most of the MRSP clinical isolates from dogs and cats were multidrug-resistant. Abstract: This study aimed to investigate the presence of arginine catabolic mobile element (ACME) and its associated molecular characteristics in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP). Among the 72 S. pseudintermedius recovered from various infection sites of dogs and cats, 52 (72.2%) were MRSP. ACME- arcA was detected commonly (69.2%) in these MRSP isolates, and was more frequently detected in those from the skin than from other body sites ( P = 0.047). There was a wide genetic diversity among the ACME- arcA -positive MRSP isolates, which comprised three SCC mec types (II–III, III and V) and 15 dru types with two predominant clusters (9a and 11a). Most MRSP isolates were multidrug-resistant. Since S. pseudintermedius could serve as a reservoir of ACME, further research on this putative virulence factor is recommended.