Epidemiology of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius in cats in Poland.

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is a well-known coagulase-positive staphylococcus that is mainly associated with the asymptomatic colonization of the skin of pets and mucous membranes. Little is still known about the occurrence of S. pseudintermedius in cats. The current study aimed to characterize the isolates of S. pseudintermedius from sick and healthy cats. This was achieved by examining their antibiotic resistance properties, biofilm formation, and genotype differences. Six hundred and seventy-six cats were swabbed (595 healthy and 81 sick cats). Thirty-five distinct S. pseudintermedius isolates from 27 cats were isolated. The prevalence of S. pseudintermedius in healthy and sick cats was 2.49% and 7.61%, respectively. In comparison, MRSP (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius) prevalence was 0.12% and 2.98%, respectively. Cats were more frequently colonized with S. pseudintermedius when kept with dogs, regardless of their health condition, with this result being statistically significant. Multidrug resistance was detected in 50%, and 38.46% of S. pseudintermedius isolates from healthy and sick cats, respectively. In contrast, genetic multidrug resistance was detected in 59% and 46.15% cases, respectively. Seven from eight isolated MRSPs were multidrug-resistant. Multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) assigned isolates to 19 types, of which 16 types submitted for the first time to the PubMLST database. The most frequently detected STs (sequence types) were 551 and 71. ST71 and ST551 were mainly isolated from cats with clinical signs of infection. All were MRSPs, regardless of cats' health. These isolates were characterized with the most frequent antibiotic resistance at the phenotypic and genotypic level.

Prevalence of Staphylococcus Species Colonization in Healthy and Sick Cats.

Staphylococcus is one of the most frequently isolated genera of opportunistic bacteria in animals and human beings. Staphylococci in mammals mostly inhabit the skin and mucous membranes. The objectives of the study were to investigate the distribution of staphylococcal species in healthy and sick cats in order to find diagnostic markers. The risk factors associated with colonization were also explored. Isolates from healthy (n=520) and sick cats (n=67) were identified at the species level using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Swabs from conjunctival sacs, nares, skin, anus, and wounds were investigated using this technique. The diversity of the Staphylococcus species was high: 26 and 17 species in healthy and sick cats, respectively, and predominantly coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) were isolated. The most frequently observed were S. felis and S. epidermidis in healthy cats, whereas S. felis and S. haemolyticus were most often found in sick animals. S. aureus strains were only isolated from healthy cats, whereas the only coagulase-positive Staphylococcus (CoPS) which occurred in the sick cats group was S. pseudintermedius. The sick, more frequently than the healthy animals, were colonized with S. pseudintermedius and S. haemolyticus and the relationship was statistically significant. Mostly, regardless of the state of their health, similar Staphylococcus species were isolated from cats; therefore, particular attention should be paid during the interpretation of diagnostic results.

Characteristics of the bacterial flora in the conjunctival sac of cats from Poland.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the bacterial flora of the conjunctival sac in clinically healthy cats and cats with signs of conjunctivitis. METHODS: A total of 324 conjunctival swabs were examined between 2011 and 2012 taken from 60 animals, 30 of which were clinically healthy and 30 with signs of chronic conjunctivitis. The samples were taken three times at 4-week intervals from the clinically healthy cats. The samples from the cats with conjunctivitis were taken before and 4 weeks after cessation of successful therapy. Swabs from both the right and left eye of each cat were subjected to microbiological examination and polymerase chain reaction for the presence of DNA of Chlamydophila felis and Mycoplasma felis. RESULTS: There was no qualitative difference in the eye microflora between the clinically healthy animals and those with signs of conjunctivitis. Staphylococcus epidermidis (21 · 9%) was the most common microorganism isolated and it was more commonly detected in swabs from cats with conjunctivitis (P < 0 · 0001) as was Staphylococcus aureus (P = 0 · 07). The presence of C. felis was significantly correlated with (P < 0 · 0001) signs of conjunctivitis and was detected in 25% of swabs collected from both conjunctival sacs. No DNA of M. felis was detected in any swab. None of the animals had sterile conjunctival sacs in all consecutive bacteriological tests. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The conjunctival sac in cats was sterile in over 50% of the clinically healthy cats and 25% of the cats with conjunctivitis. The sterility did not persist for longer than 4 weeks. Positive bacterial cultures occur in cats with and without clinical signs of conjunctivitis.

Reduction of prevalence of persistent BVDV infection in cattle herds by long-term vaccination program (preliminary clinical study).

Effectiveness of long-term anti-BVDV vaccination program in reducing prevalence of persistent BVDV infection in cattle herds was evaluated in seven years observational study (2005-2011). Among three seropositive dairy cattle herds (within herd seroprevalence 100%, confirmed by ELISA Herd Check BVDV Ab, IDEXX, Sweden) vaccination program based on inactivated vaccine (cytopathic strain 5960) was commenced in 2007 in two herds and continued till 2010. In the years 2007-2011 all calves aged 2-12 weeks in all three herds were tested yearly with RT-PCR in order to detect persistently infected individuals. For the entire study period true prevalence of BVDV persistent infection was significantly lower in vaccinated than in non-vaccinated herd. This may imply the role of long-term vaccination program in reducing prevalence of persistent BVDV infection in cattle herds.