Isolation and Characterisation of Multi-Drug Resistant Coagulase Negative S. Schleiferi Subsp Schleferi from a Case of Recurrent Pyoderma in Canine

Recurrent pyoderma is a chronic-relapsing clinical condition which is mostly associated with inappropriate use of antibiotics. Methicillin-resistant staphylococci are most frequent microorganisms associated with canine pyoderma and other soft tissue infections. Prevalence of methicillin-resistant staphylococci has shown an increasing trend as a cause of canine pyoderma in recent years. Coagulase positive staphylococci were predominantly reported in canine pyoderma cases until recent times. The present study describes the isolation and characterisation of multi-drug resistant coagulase negative Staphylococcus from a case of recurrent pyoderma in canine. The isolate was confirmed by the growth on selective media and other biochemical tests. Antibiotic sensitivity assay confirmed the isolate to be multidrug resistant with multiple antibiotic resistance index (MARI) of >0.9. The molecular methods based on 16s rRNA, coagulase, Nuc and MecA genes further confirmed phenotypic observations. The multidrug resistance, including antibiotics, which are not commonly used in animal practice in this region, suggests the event of either new host adoption or acquiring antibiotic resistance through lateral transfer from human isolates.