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Genotyping of Staphylococcus aureus by Ribosomal Spacer PCR (RS-PCR)
08:51

Genotyping of Staphylococcus aureus by Ribosomal Spacer PCR (RS-PCR)

Published on: November 4, 2016

Genetically divergent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and sec-dependent mastitis of dairy goats in Taiwan

Chishih Chu1, Changyou Yu, Yanhaui Lee

  • 1Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Biopharmaceuticals, National Chiayi University, Chiayi 60004, Taiwan.

BMC Veterinary Research
|March 30, 2012
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Multi-drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), was identified in dairy goats in Taiwan. This study highlights potential zoonotic transfer and the role of specific enterotoxins in goat mastitis.

Area of Science:

  • Veterinary Microbiology
  • Food Safety
  • Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

  • Staphylococcus species are common in the environment and can cause infections in animals and humans.
  • Previous research reported multi-drug resistant (MDR) S. aureus in dairy goats.
  • This study extends previous findings by investigating staphylococcal infections in goats, focusing on MDR and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate staphylococcal infections in dairy goats in southern Taiwan.
  • To characterize MDR-S. aureus and MRSA isolates, including their associated staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE) types.
  • To elucidate the emergence of MRSA in goats and identify virulence factors contributing to mastitis.

Main Methods:

  • Collected 555 samples from six goat body sites and three environmental sources across four farms.
  • Identified coagulase-positive (CPS) and coagulase-negative (CNS) Staphylococcus species.
  • Determined predominant SE genes (sea-sej), antimicrobial resistance profiles, and genetic variations using pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and SCCmec typing.

Main Results:

  • Identified 137 staphylococcal strains, predominantly in milk, vagina, anus, and nasal cavities. S. lentus was the most prevalent species, followed by S. aureus.
  • Enterotoxin genes (sec, see) were found only in S. aureus associated with mastitis; no enterotoxin genes were detected in CNS isolates.
  • Eleven MRSA isolates were identified, with SCCmec type III being predominant. Resistance to multiple antibiotics increased compared to previous years. PFGE patterns indicated similarities to human MRSA isolates.

Conclusions:

  • Prevalence and infection sites differed between CNS and CPS.
  • Genetic analyses suggest possible zoonotic transfer of MRSA between humans and goats.
  • The enterotoxins sec and see are identified as important virulence factors in S. aureus causing goat mastitis.

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