Evaluation of minocycline susceptibility of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) is an increasingly important cause of opportunistic infections in dogs and cats. Treatment options are often limited because of the high level of antimicrobial resistance. Doxycycline resistance is common, but variable mechanisms of doxycycline resistance exist, with some conferring resistance to doxycycline but not minocycline. However, there has been limited study of minocycline susceptibility in clinical MRSP isolates nor has the association of susceptibility and clonal complex been clearly established. The objective of this study was to evaluate the susceptibility of MRSP to tetracycline, doxycycline and minocycline, to determine the prevalence of tet(M) and tet(K) and to evaluate the impact of strain on minocycline susceptibility. One hundred seven MRSP isolates from dogs from Canada and the US were included; 79 from clinical infections and 28 from colonization sites. Thirty-nine (36%) isolates were susceptible to tetracycline, 41 (38%) to doxycycline and 70 (65%) to minocycline. Two main dru types, dt9a and dt11a, were present. When tetracycline or doxycycline resistant, dru type dt9a and related strains predominantly harboured tet(K) and were susceptible to minocycline. In contrast, dt11a and related strains tended to harbour tet(M), which confers resistance to all three tetracyclines. Minocycline might be a treatment option for some MRSP infections, even those that are doxycycline resistant; however, interpretive breakpoints may need to be re-assessed. Study of the pharmacokinetics and clinical efficacy of minocycline in dogs and cats is warranted.