Detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius with commercially available selective media

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Microbiology
• Clinical Diagnostics
• Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

• Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) is an emerging pathogen in veterinary medicine.
• Accurate and rapid diagnostic methods are crucial for controlling MRSP infections.
• Selective media designed for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are potential tools for MRSP detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of commercially available MRSA selective media for the detection and isolation of MRSP.
• To identify the most suitable selective agars for routine clinical microbiology.

Main Methods:

• Five different MRSA screening agars were tested for MRSP detection.
• Included bacteria commonly found with MRSP to assess potential interference.
• Evaluated MRSP growth rate and isolation efficiency on each medium.

Main Results:

• MRSP demonstrated good growth on Oxacillin resistance screening agar base (ORSAB) and Brilliance MRSA agar.
• BD BBL™ Chromagar™ MRSA and chromID™ MRSA agar showed low to moderate MRSP growth.
• Other tested bacteria did not significantly interfere with MRSP detection on the most suitable media.

Conclusions:

• ORSAB (Oxoid) and Brilliance MRSA agar (Oxoid) are highly suitable for MRSP detection and isolation from veterinary clinical samples.
• These agars provide reliable tools for clinical microbiologists to identify MRSP carriers.
• The study aids in establishing effective diagnostic strategies for the increasing prevalence of MRSP.