Isolation and Molecular Characterization of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from Swine following Spa Typing

Indhuja Ganesan; Prabhaker X. Antony; Jayalakshmi Vasu; Mouttou V. Srinivas; Jacob Thanislass; Hirak K. Mukhopadhyay

doi:10.21887/ijvsbt.17.3.16

Indhuja Ganesan Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Veterinary Education & Research, Kurumbapet, Pondicherry - 605 009, India
Prabhaker X. Antony Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Veterinary Education & Research, Kurumbapet, Pondicherry - 605 009, India
Jayalakshmi Vasu Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Veterinary Education & Research, Kurumbapet, Pondicherry - 605 009, India
Mouttou V. Srinivas Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Veterinary Education & Research, Kurumbapet, Pondicherry - 605 009, India
Jacob Thanislass Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Hirak K. Mukhopadhyay Department of Veterinary Biochemistry, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Veterinary Education & Research, Kurumbapet, Pondicherry - 605 009, India

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21887/ijvsbt.17.3.16

Keywords: Methicillin-resistance, mecA, Public health, Spa typing, Swine.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to isolate the Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from the nasal swabs of swine and further characterize the isolates by spa typing. 116 (91.34%) Staphylococcal isolates were obtained from 127 nasal swabs of swine from organized and unorganized pig farms in and around the Puducherry region (India). The nuc gene specific for S. aureus was found in 97 (83.62%) isolates from swine. Methicillin resistant gene mecA was detected in 23 isolates (19.83%), and none of the staphylococcal isolates from swine carried the mecC gene. Ten representatives MRSA isolates from swine were subjected to further characterization using spa typing (Staphylococcus aureus protein A typing). Four different spa types were identified namely t657 (40.0%, 4/10), t5983 (40.0%, 4/10), t005 (10.0%, 1/10) and t127 (10.0%, 1/10) from Puducherry region.