Detection of antibiotic resistance genes among Staphylococcus schleiferi subsp. coagulans and its antibiogram profile from canine pyoderma isolates

Pyoderma, or bacterial infection of the skin, is the most common dermatological problem encountered in dogs. Recently, Staphylococcus schleiferi is an emerging zoonotic pathogen that colonizes the skin and mucosal surfac- es of small animals and humans. The purpose of the present study was to identify the presence of Staphylococcus schleiferi subsp. coagulans and to study their resistance pattern against various antimicrobial agents phenotypically, as well as genotypically, from canine pyoderma in dog breeds. A total of 80 skin swabs were collected aseptically from dogs of various breeds affected with different types of canine pyoderma. A total of 108 bacteria were isolated from 80 skin swabs, of which 73 (97.33%) isolates were molecularly confirmed as Staphylococcus genus. Out of the 73 molecularly confirmed isolates, 8.22% (6/73), isolates were identified as S. schleiferi subsp. coagulans, using Sch-nuc gene amplification. An antimicrobial resistance study of β-lactam antibiotics showed 50% and 16.67% resis- tance against penicillin-G and amoxyclav, respectively, and among non-β-lactam antibiotics, 33.33% resistance was observed against enrofloxacin, oxytetracyclin and Co-Trimoxazole, while 16.67% resistance was observed against levofloxacin and chloramphenicol. Fifty percent (3/6) of S. schleiferi subsp. coagulans isolates showed multidrug resistance among 19 selected antibiotics classified under different classes of antimicrobials, and one (16.67%) isolate was identified as methicillin resistant S. schleiferi subsp. coagulans (MRSS) genotypically. This study helps to un- derstand the increased level and pattern of resistance in S. schleiferi subsp. coagulans isolated from different types of canine pyoderma.