Survey of Staphylococcus aureus carriage by free-living red deer (Cervus elaphus): Evidence of human and domestic animal lineages.
Transbound Emerg Dis
; 69(5): e1659-e1669, 2022 Sep.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-35238483
ABSTRACT
Staphylococcus aureus is a pathogen that can affect multiple host species. Evidence of transmission between humans and animals and among different animal species has been reported in recent years. In this study, we investigated 284 free-living red deer (Cervus elaphus) in the Central Italian Alps to assess the prevalence and molecular characteristics of S. aureus in nasal and intestinal samples in relation to host features and environmental factors. A prevalence of 90%, 26.2% and 10.7% of S. aureus was detected in nasal rectal swabs and faeces, respectively. Calves had a higher probability of being S. aureus intestinal carriers than adults, especially in females when considering faecal samples. Clonal complex (CC) 425 was the most prevalent lineage (61.5%). This is a lineage known to be widespread in both domestic and free-living animals. It was followed by CC2671 (15.4%) and CC350 (6.4%). A high rate of the phage-borne virulence factor lukM/lukF-P83 was detected in CC425 and CC350. Further lineages, which are known to occur in both humans and animals, were detected sporadically in red deer faeces only, that is, CC7, CC9, CC121 and CC707, harbouring the genes of the penicillinase operon and a gene for macrolide resistance (CC9 and CC121). Methicillin resistance genes mecA and mecC were not found. Our results suggest that free-living red deer may be reservoir for S. aureus in Alpine habitats.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Infecções Estafilocócicas
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Cervos
Tipo de estudo:
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Animals
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Female
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Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Transbound Emerg Dis
Assunto da revista:
MEDICINA VETERINARIA
Ano de publicação:
2022
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Itália