Prevalence of Staphylococcus Species Colonization in Healthy and Sick Cats

Abstract

<i>Staphylococcus</i> is one of the most frequently isolated genera of opportunistic bacteria in animals and human beings. Staphylococci in mammals mostly inhabit the skin and mucous membranes. The objectives of the study were to investigate the distribution of staphylococcal species in healthy and sick cats in order to find diagnostic markers. The risk factors associated with colonization were also explored. Isolates from healthy (n=520) and sick cats (n=67) were identified at the species level using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Swabs from conjunctival sacs, nares, skin, anus, and wounds were investigated using this technique. The diversity of the <i>Staphylococcus</i> species was high: 26 and 17 species in healthy and sick cats, respectively, and predominantly coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) were isolated. The most frequently observed were <i>S. felis</i> and <i>S. epidermidis</i> in healthy cats, whereas <i>S. felis</i> and <i>S. haemolyticus</i> were most often found in sick animals. <i>S. aureus</i> strains were only isolated from healthy cats, whereas the only coagulase-positive <i>Staphylococcus</i> (CoPS) which occurred in the sick cats group was <i>S. pseudintermedius</i>. The sick, more frequently than the healthy animals, were colonized with <i>S. pseudintermedius</i> and <i>S. haemolyticus</i> and the relationship was statistically significant. Mostly, regardless of the state of their health, similar <i>Staphylococcus</i> species were isolated from cats; therefore, particular attention should be paid during the interpretation of diagnostic results.