MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF METHICILLIN RESISTANT Staphylococcus aureus FROM GOATS, PIGS AND THEIR HANDLERS

M.S. REDDY¹, A.J. BABU²*, P. RAMYA³, C.S. SWETHA^4
1Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, AP, India.
²Department of Veterinary Public Health & Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Science, Proddatur - 516 360, AP, India.
³Department of Veterinary Public Health & Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Science, Proddatur - 516 360, AP, India.
⁴Department of Veterinary Public Health & Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Science, Proddatur - 516 360, AP, India.
* Corresponding Author : drjagadeeshvet@yahoo.co.uk

Received : 14-05-2015     Accepted : 12-09-2015     Published : 15-09-2015
Volume : 7     Issue : 3       Pages : 648 - 655
Int J Microbiol Res 7.3 (2015):648-655

Keywords : Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, goats, pigs, humans and PCR
Academic Editor : Mishra Ajay Kumar, Rajesh Laik, Bhanderi B.B., Doijad Swapnil, Ranjana Hawaldar, Banerjee A., Dias Meena, Dias Meena, Dey S., Dr. C.H. Bindukiranmayee, Bandopadhyay Sandip, Baskaran M.
Conflict of Interest : None declared

All the nasal swabs collected from the domestic animals like goat and pigs and from animal handlers were used for isolation of Staphylococcus aureus. From a total of 339 samples, 292 isolates were subjected to Gram’s staining and found purple coloured cocci in clusters. Among the 339 isolates 101 isolates were confirmed as pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus by a positive coagulase test. The biochemical tests like IMViC tests, urease test, oxidase test, nitrate reduction test and catalase tests, confirmed the presence of Staphylococcus aureus. DNase test revealed the characteristic blue to purple coloured colonies with clear zones around them. On blood agar plates the isolates produced β haemolysis. Two sets of primers derived from nuc gene and mecA genes were used for the identification of Staphylococcus aureus and its methicillin resistance respectively for the PCR assay. Out of 151 goat samples 115 (76.15%) were positive for Staphylococcus aureus by cultural methods and 112 (74.1%) were positive by PCR method. Out of 112 PCR positives none were found positive for MRSA by PCR. Out of 102 pig samples 96 (94.1%) were positive for Staphylococcus aureus by cultural methods and 96 (94.1%) were positive by PCR method. Out of 96 PCR positives one isolate was found positive for mecA by PCR which accounts to 0.98% over the total number of samples and 1.04% over the positive samples for Staphylococcus aureus by PCR. Out of 86 human samples 81 (94.18%) were positive for Staphylococcus aureus by cultural methods and 80 (98.76%) were positive by PCR method. Out of 80 PCR positives none was found positive for mecA by PCR.