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Peer-reviewed veterinary case report

Catalase-negative MRSA found in dog with severe pododermatitis

By Corrente, Marialaura et al.·Published in Veterinary microbiology·2013·Department of Veterinary Medicine, Italy·View original on PubMed

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Original publication title: Characterisation of a catalase-negative methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolate from a dog.

Species:
dog

Plain-English summary

A dog with severe paw inflammation (pododermatitis) was found to have a rare strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) that does not produce the enzyme catalase, which is usually used to identify staph infections. This unusual strain could lead to underdiagnosis of MRSA in pets, as the standard tests might miss it. The findings suggest that veterinarians should pay closer attention to catalase-negative staphylococci to better understand their potential to cause illness. Treatment details were not provided, but addressing the underlying infection is crucial for recovery.

People also search for: dog paw inflammation treatment · MRSA in dogs · catalase-negative staphylococcus in pets

Abstract

A catalase-negative MRSA strain and a methicillin resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius strain (MRSP) were isolated from a dog affected by a severe form of pododermatitis. The catalase negative isolate was typed as SCCmec I, PVL negative, ST5 t002 strain. A deletion at position 487 of the kat gene altered the functionality of the catalase enzyme. This is the first report of a catalase-negative MRSA in animals. As catalase test is a rapid assay routinely employed for the identification of staphylococci in clinical microbiology laboratories, the presence of MRSA with this uncommon phenotype may be underestimated. Moreover, catalase-negative staphylococci should be investigated more in-depth in order to assess their virulence.

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Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24139722/