Emergence of multidrug-resistant and virulent Staphylococcus aureus in domestic cats in Bangladesh: Possible risks of zoonoses

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has evolved as a major pathogen for human and animal health. MRSA colonization in apparently healthy cats is an alarming public health issue. This study explored the prevalence of MRSA in apparently healthy cats along with their antimicrobial resistance profile and presence of the enterotoxin gene. In total, 122 samples from oral and nasal origin of 61 healthy cats were investigated using PCR to identify the specific genes ( nuc , mecA , sea ). We’ve detected an overall 25.41 % incidence rate of S. aureus and 45.16 % of those were methicillin-resistant. The occurrence rate of S. aureus from oral origin is higher than nasal origin ( p < 0.05) , but MRSA was higher in nasal samples than oral ( p > 0.05). Female cats had a higher incidence of both S. aureus and MRSA. Cats aged between 1 and 3 years had a higher prevalence of S. aureus but >3-year-old cats harbored a higher percentage of MRSA. All the isolates were also multidrug resistant with MAR index >0.2. The highest resistance was observed against Amoxicillin (AML), Ceftriaxone (CRO), Cefuroxime (CXM), and Ampicillin (AMP). 16.12 % of the S. aureus isolates carried the enterotoxin gene ( sea ) which is responsible for food poisoning in humans. Prevalence of the enterotoxin gene was higher in nasal samples than in oral samples, and was found in male cats most within the >3-year aged group. As house cats often come in contact with humans, transmitting virulent MRSA through direct contact is possible. • Healthy house cats horbores Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). • Virulent seA genes were detected in healthy cats. • Prevalence of multidrug-resistant MRSA was significant.