Abstract

The aim of this study was an analysis of the staphylococcal flora of the nasal cavity of 42 healthy horses from 4 farms, along with species identification of CoNS isolates and determination of resistance to 18 antimicrobial agents, particularly phenotypic and genotypic methicillin resistance. From the 81 swabs, 87 staphylococci were isolated. All isolates possessed the gap gene but the coa gene was not detected in any of these isolates. Using PCR-RFLP of the gap gene, 82.8% of CoNS were identified: S. equorum (14.9%), S. warneri (14.9%), S. sciuri (12.6%), S. vitulinus (12.6%), S. xylosus (11.5% ), S. felis (5.7%), S. haemolyticus (3.4%), S. simulans(3.4%), S. capitis (1.1%), S. chromogenes (1.1%), and S. cohnii subsp. urealyticus (1.1%). To our knowledge, this was the first isolation of S. felis from a horse. The species identity of the remaining Staphylococcus spp. isolates (17.2%) could not be determined from the gap gene PCR-RFLP analysis and 16S rRNA gene sequencing data. Based on 16S-23S intergenic transcribed spacer PCR, 11 different ITS-PCR profiles were identified for the 87 analyzed isolates. Results of API Staph were consistent with molecular identification of 17 (19.5%) isolates. Resistance was detected to only 1 or 2 of the 18 antimicrobial agents tested in the 17.2% CoNS isolates, including 6.9% MRCoNS. The mecA gene was detected in each of the 5 (5.7%) phenotypically cefoxitin-resistant isolates and in 12 (13.8%) isolates susceptible to cefoxitin. In total, from 12 horses (28.6%), 17 (19.5%) MRCoNS were isolated. The highest percentage of MRCoNS was noted among S. sciuri isolates (100%).

• Keywords: coagulase-negative staphylococci; horse; gap gene; mecA gene; methicillin; antimicrobial agents