Isolation and Identification
A total of 275 swab samples were collected from various skin infections of dogs. Predominant samples (n=164) were collected from superficial bacterial folliculitis (pyoderma), followed by otitis (n=38), equal number of demodicosis and dermatitis cases (n=23 each). Out of 275 samples, 128 (46.5%) samples were found to be positive for SP by amplifying 780 bp amplicon of SP specific thermonuclease gene in PCR as shown in Fig 1. The prevalence of SP infection in various skin infections is given in Fig 2. SP has also been identified at varying rates with 26.6% incidence in Lithuanian dogs
(Ruzauskas et al., 2016), 59% Chennai, India (Ananda
Chitra et al., 2016) and 59.6% in Brazil
(Scherer et al., 2018).
Among the 128 SP, eight isolates (6.25%) were identified as MRSP by detecting
mecA gene (Fig 1). Six out of eight isolates were from pyoderma cases and two were from otitis cases. Higher prevalence of MRSP infection with 48% in China
(Wang et al., 2012), 40.5% in Canada
(Beck et al., 2012) and 28% in Chennai, India (Ananda
Chitra et al., 2016). However, low MRSP prevalence rates have also been recorded such as 2% in Sweden
(SWEDRES-SVARM, 2016) and 13.4% in Canada
(Saab et al., 2018).
Detection of genes encoding cell wall associated proteins
The ability of bacteria to colonize and to cause infection is initiated by attachment to the host cells using surface proteins or cell wall anchored proteins.
SpsK gene was present in all the SP isolates in this study and the same was observed in various studies
(Bannoehr et al., 2011; Phumthanakorn et al., 2017). Prevalence of various virulence genes in MSSP and MRSP isolates are given in Fig 3 and 4 respectively.
SpsF gene was detected in 38/128 (29.68%) isolates which varied from 17.7%
(Phumthanakorn et al., 2017) to 71.4%
(Latronica et al., 2014) worldwide.
SpsO was the one which was present in the least number of isolates (11/128=8.6%) in this study. It has been reported that the
SpsO gene was detected in 28.6% of isolates by
Latronica et al., (2014) and 40% by
Phumthanakorn et al., (2017).
SP organism has two orthologues (
SpsP and
SpsQ) of staphylococcal protein A.
SpsQ was more frequently present in 47/128 (36.71%) isolates than
SpsP gene (36/128=28.12%). Both the orthologues (
SpsP and
SpsQ) were identified in 23 strains of SP and 69 isolates were negative for both the genes. In general, incidence of detection of cell wall protein genes was in a greater number of MRSP isolates than MSSP isolates.
Phumthanakorn et al., (2017) and
Latronica et al., (2014) reported the concomitant presence of
SpsP and
SpsQ genes in SP isolates whereas,
Bannoehr et al., (2011) reported the differential presence of genes with more prevalence of
SpsQ genes (60%) than
SpsP (40%) as seen in the present study.
Detection of Biofilm forming genes
Staphylococci species have
ica operon which contains
icaADBC genes for biofilm formation and regulatory function. The
icaA gene was present in 69/128 isolate (53.9%) and
icaD gene was present in 86/128 (67%) SP isolates. Higher prevalence of
icaD than
icaA gene observed in the present study is contrary to the presence of 75.7%
icaD and 77.9%
icaA genes in SP isolates of Canada and USA reported by
Singh et al., (2013). However, transcriptome analysis of SP isolates showed that MSSP isolates had an increased ability to form biofilm under acidic circumstances through up-regulation of the entire
arc operon
(Couto et al., 2016).
Detection of virulence regulatory genes
All staphylococcal species examined to date have been shown to encode AIP (Auto-inducible protein) peptides that are unique to each species based on
AgrD gene. Accessory gene regulator genes were detected in all SP isolates in this study.
Agr typing of 5 MSSP isolates were previously reported in India and type I and III AIP were produced by two strains of each and one isolate produced type II AIP
(Ananda Chitra et al., 2015). Type IV
agr AIP was the majority type found in MRSP isolates of USA
(Black et al., 2009) whilst type III was predominantly seen in MRSP than MSSP isolates in Portugal
(Couto et al., 2016). The present study identified Agr II in seven MRSP isolates and Agr III type in one MRSP isolate.
SarA is a DNA-binding protein, which binds to the
agr promoter region affecting control of several virulence genes in
S.
aureus.
SarA like gene is also present in SP and it was detected in 5/8 (62.5%) and 43/120 (35.8%) of MRSP and MSSP strains respectively. To the best of our knowledge, there is no available literature either to support or contradict this report. However,
Couto et al., (2016) reported that higher expression of transcription of regulatory genes in MRSP isolate than MSSP isolate and, in MSSP isolates
agrD regulatory genes had higher transcriptional expression.
Detection of exfoliative toxin genes
Exfoliative toxins (ET) - serine proteases, produced by staphylococci are involved in cutaneous infections of mammals. All the isolates of this study were detected to have
SIET gene which concurs with previous studies (Ananda
Chitra et al., 2016; Couto et al., 2016; Melter et al., 2017). In the present study,
ExpA isoform of ET was detected in more number (14.84%) of isolates than
ExpB isoforms (6.25%) as opposed to 4.7%
ExpA and 9.52%
ExpB in another study
(Walther et al., 2012). The occurrence of
ExpB was found to be 23.2% of isolates from dogs with superficial pyoderma and 6.1% of SP isolates from healthy dogs while
ExpA gene was detected in 23.3% of SP isolates from canine pyoderma
(Iyori et al., 2010).
Detection of Panton-Valentine Leucocidin (PVL) Like Toxin (Luk-I) in SP isolates
Panton-valentine Leucocidin (PVL) found in certain strains of
S.
aureus is a bi component-LukS-PV and LukF-PV, pore forming leukotoxin that causes leukocyte damage and tissue necrosis
(Gillet et al., 2002). A similar bi component leukotoxin Luk-I, encoded by two genes,
LukS/F, was detected in SP. All the SP isolates characterized in the present study as well as in the previous study
(Ananda Chitra et al., 2016) possessed
Luk-I genes. In other studies, 96.2% and 29.4% prevalence were reported
(Melter et al., 2017; Ruzauskas et al., 2016). Luk-I gene was highly expressed in the MRSP isolate than MSSP isolate under transcriptome analysis
(Couto et al., 2016).
Detection of enterotoxin se-int and superantigen like toxin (sel) genes in SP isolates
Staphylococcal enterotoxins (SE) are pyrogenic proteins associated with food poisoning and toxic shock syndrome. They are considered as superantigens as they bind to class II MHC molecules on antigen presenting cells and stimulate large populations of T cells releasing a cytokine bolus leading to an acute toxic shock.
S.
pseudintermedius produces two unique SEs - SECcanine which is an SEC variant
(Cardona et al., 2006) and the other one is SE-int
(Futagawa-Saito et al., 2004). In the present study,
se-int gene was detected in 37.5% SP isolates where as 100%
se-int gene prevalence was reported by
Couto et al., (2016), Melter et al., (2017) and
Futagawa-Saito et al., (2004). In another study, 37.5% and 75.9% of SP isolates from pyoderma and healthy dogs were found to possess
se-int gene respectively
(Tanabe et al., 2013).
In the present study, superantigen like protein (
sel) gene was detected in all the SP isolates. 73.4% of the SP isolates from skin infection of Czech Republic was identified with
sel gene
(Melter et al., 2017).
SCCmec typing of MRSP isolates
In the present study, out of eight MRSP strains, only one isolate was identified as having SCC
mec Type V by using multiplex PCR. Other seven strains were not typeable by the multiplex PCR methods. A 31% of the MRSP isolates from Italy were reported to be non-typeable
(Gronthal et al., 2017).
SCCmec V has gained prominence in the UK
(Maluping et al., 2014), Europe and North America
(Perreten et al., 2010). In Asia, type V is dominant in Thailand, South China and Korea
(Chanchaithong et al., 2014; Feng et al., 2012) and type II–III in Japan and North China
(Ishihara et al., 2016; Wang et al., 2012). Therefore,
SCCmec dissemination in Thailand and South China display a closer genetic relationship with Korea than Japan and North China.