Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Wounds of Livestock and Companion Animals of Uttar Pradesh India: A Preliminary Study

Background: Staphylococcus aureus is the most common bacterial pathogen responsible for acute as well as many chronic infections in humans and animals as well. The emergence of antibiotic resistance among these pathogens is an issue of global worry. Among them, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is staphylococci showing multiple drug resistance to a large number of antimicrobials including penicillin, methicillin, beta-lactam antibiotics, aminoglycoside antibiotics, macrolide antibiotics, etc. Objective: The aim of present study was to determine the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolated from clinical cases of wounds in animals of different species of various age groups in Mathura and nearby areas of Uttar Pradesh, India. Materials and Methods: A total of 194 wound samples from cattle, buffalo, dogs, goats, sheep and horses were collected aseptically between 2012-2014. Samples were subjected to microbiological investigation for laboratory isolation, identification and confirmation of causative agents as per the standard protocols. All S. aureus isolate were identified and confirmed on the basis of morphology, cultural characteristics and biochemical tests. Result: Out of 194 samples, 9 were negative while 185 wound samples revealed 69 isolates of Staphylococcus aureus with the prevalence rate of 37.3%. The results also revealed that the incidences of Staphylococcus aureus in wound cases were higher in equines (57.14%), cattle (48.28%) and dogs (48.08%) in comparison to buffaloes (24.32%). All the isolates were subjected to drug sensitivity by disc diffusion method to assess the antibiotic resistance against 23 antimicrobials. Results of the current study revealed maximum sensitivity to gatifloxacin (94.20%) and 100% resistance against kanamycin, colistin, clindamycin, penicillin-G, cotrimoxazole and cefotaxime. Conclusion: Out of 69, 66 isolates were found to be methicillin-resistant, while 63 were vancomycin resistant and is a noble finding in case of animals in UP. The higher prevalence of methicillin resistant bacterial strains of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria from wound infections was an important finding of the study and clearly indicated increase in drug resistance with alert to look for alternate therapeutic treatment.