Clonal distribution of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius isolates from skin infection of dogs in Korea

Abstract

Bacterial infection by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) is challenging in a small animal practice. Zoonotic transmission may occur. The aim of this study was to investigate the genotypic profiles of MRSP isolated from bacterial infections of canine skin in Korea and to compare their molecular lineages with dominant strains from other countries.

Sixty MRSP isolates were obtained from the lesions of canine pyoderma and otitis externa. Their genetic diversity was assessed by multilocus sequence typing (MLST), staphylococcal protein A (spa) typing and direct-repeat unit (dru) typing. Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) elements were characterized by multiplex PCR.

Thirty-nine different sequence types (STs) were detected. Among them, 21 STs were identified as internationally new sequence types. Fourteen dru types (dts) were detected, and the major types were dt11a and dt11y. spa typing characterised 21 isolates (35%, 21/60), including spa types t02 (n = 8), t05 (n = 5), t06 (n = 6), and t15 (n = 2). Two clonal complexes, CC568 and CC677, were revealed by MLST; this result differed from the dominant STs detected in MRSP isolates from Europe, North America, and other Asian countries. SCCmec type V was the major type (27/60. 45%), and 30 (50%) isolates were non-typeable by conventional classifying method.

This is the first report about the clonal lineage of MRSP isolated from Korea. MRSP isolated from dogs in Korea displays independent lineage from other countries. Surveillance is needed to confirm cross-national disseminating patterns.