PREVALENCE OF METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS AND ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE PATTERN IN MASTITIC BUFFALOES OF JABALPUR, MADHYA PRADESH, INDIA

The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) as a pathogen of higher risk to the world community.Livestock and the products it produces, which are frequently raised in subpar conditions, are one of the sources of MRSA emergence.Studies on the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profile and prevalence of MRSA in dairy buffaloes were scarce in Jabalpur.Thus, using their antimicrobial pattern as well as phenotypic and genotypic characterization, the current study was aimed to ascertain the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in mastitic buffaloes in the Jabalpur region of Madhya Pradesh.The California Mastitis Test was used to screen 408 buffaloes' milk samples for mastitis (CMT).The mecA gene of methicillin-resistant S. aureus was molecularly characterized using polymerase chain reaction.Overall 25 percent (102/408) of the milk samples tested positive for CMT.30.39 % (31/102) of the milk samples that tested positive for CMT had S. aureus, according to the results of the biochemical tests.mecA gene was identified in 16.1% (05/31) of the total 31 S. aureus isolates detected as MRSA.Only one S. aureus isolate was found to be multidrug resistant based on the antibiotic sensitivity test results.