Nasal colonization and antibiotic resistance patterns of Staphylococcus species isolated from healthy horses in Tripoli, Libya.
Abstract: The present study investigated the colonization rates and antimicrobial susceptibility of Staphylococcus species isolated from the nostrils of healthy horses. A nonselective laboratory approach was applied, followed by confirmation using a Phoenix automated microbiological system. Among the 92 horses included in the study, 48.9% (45/92) carried Staphylococcus species of mostly the coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) type yielding 70 Staphylococcus strains. Of these strains, 37.1% (26/70; 24 CoNS and 2 coagulase-positive staphylococci; CoPS) were identified as methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS) expressing significant resistance to important antimicrobial classes represented mainly by subspecies of CoNS. This is the first study reporting a high prevalence of various Staphylococcus species, particularly strains of CoNS expressing multidrug resistance patterns of public health concern, colonizing healthy horses in Libya.
©2021 The Japanese Society of Equine Science.
Publication Date: 2021-06-18 PubMed ID: 34220273PubMed Central: PMC8240523DOI: 10.1294/jes.32.61Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This study assesses how frequent Staphylococcus bacteria is present in the nostrils of healthy horses and whether these are resistant to common antibiotics, focusing on 92 horses in Tripoli, Libya. Results showed almost half the horses carried Staphylococcus, with majority being coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS). Over a third of the bacteria strains were methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS), significantly resistant to different types of antimicrobials, with CoNS subtype being predominant. This signifies a high prevalence of drug-resistant Staphylococcus within healthy horses in Libya.
Research Methodology
- The research was carried out by collecting and testing samples from the noses of 92 horses in Tripoli, Libya.
- A nonselective laboratory approach, or a technique in which all types of bacteria are allowed to grow, was used to culture the samples collected from the horses.
- The Phoenix automated microbiological system was used to confirm the presence of Staphylococcus species in the samples.
Findings
- A total of 45 out of all 92 horses, or 48.9%, were found to be carrying some type of Staphylococcus bacteria.
- Among these, the most common type was coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS), with 70 strains identified
- Out of these 70 strains, 26 (or 37.1% of the total) were found to be methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS).
- Both coagulase-negative and positive staphylococci (CoPS) showed resistance, but CoNS were more likely to be methicillin-resistant.
Significance
- This research is important as it is the first to report such a high prevalence of Staphylococcus species, specifically drug-resistant ones, in healthy horses in Libya.
- The presence of these multidrug-resistant staphylococci species in healthy horses raises public health concerns due to the risk of transmission to humans and other animals.
- The high percentage of CoNS in particular, which are usually less aggressive than CoPS but are becoming increasingly drug-resistant, was noteworthy.
Cite This Article
APA
Othman AA, Hiblu MA, Abbassi MS, Abouzeed YM, Ahmed MO.
(2021).
Nasal colonization and antibiotic resistance patterns of Staphylococcus species isolated from healthy horses in Tripoli, Libya.
J Equine Sci, 32(2), 61-65.
https://doi.org/10.1294/jes.32.61 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tripoli, P.O. Box 13362, Libya.
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tripoli, P.O. Box 13662, Libya.
- University of Tunis El Manar, Institute of Veterinary Research of Tunisia, Tunis 1006, Tunisia.
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tripoli, P.O. Box 13362, Libya.
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tripoli, P.O. Box 13362, Libya.
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Citations
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