Detection and characterization of potential virulence determinants inandstrains isolated from canine otitis externa in Korea.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: A recent increase in the occurrence of canine skin and soft tissue infections, including otitis externa and pyoderma, caused by antimicrobial-resistantandhas become a significant public and veterinary health issues. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the virulence potentials associated with the occurrence of canine otitis externa inand METHODS: In this study, the prevalence of genes encoding leukocidins, exfoliative toxins, and staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) was investigated using previously characterized(n = 26) and(n = 19) isolates derived from canine otitis externa. Susceptibility to cathelicidins (K9CATH and PMAP-36) and hydrogen peroxide (HO) was also examined in both staphylococcal species. RESULTS: A high prevalence of genes encoding leukocidins (,, and), exfoliative toxins (,, and), and SEs was identified in bothandisolates. Notably,isolates possessed higher number of SE genes, especially newer SE genes, thanisolates harboringclusters. Although no significant differences in susceptibility to K9CATH and HOwere observed between the two isolate groups,isolates exhibited enhanced resistance to PMAP-36 compared toisolates. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that high a prevalence of various toxin genes together with enhanced resistance to cathelicidins may contribute to the pathogenicity ofandin canine cutaneous infections.