title: Antimicrobial resistance and resistance genes in Staphylococcus aureus strains from rabbits.
abstract: Fifty-six Staphylococcus aureus isolates recovered between 1998 and 2003 from 31 rabbit farms with and without problems of chronic staphylococcosis, were screened for resistance to enrofloxacin, erythromycin, gentamicin, lincomycin, neomycin, penicillin and tetracyclines using the agar dilution test. For penicillin, a disk diffusion test was also performed. The detection of tetP(B), tet(K), tet(L), tet(M), tet(O), tet(T), tet(W), erm(A), erm(B), erm(C) and mec(A) genes was done via a PCR assay. Four isolates showed resistance to erythromycin and lincomycin. These isolates were positive for the erm(C) gene in the PCR. Eleven strains were resistant to tetracyclines and all harboured the tet(K) gene. In the agar dilution test, five isolates showed resistance to penicillin, whereas in the disk diffusion test 12 isolates showed resistance. None of these 12 resistant isolates carried the mec(A) gene. Only one strain showed resistance to gentamicin, and all strains were susceptible to enrofloxacin and neomycin. This study demonstrates that resistance to antimicrobial agents in S. aureus isolates originating from rabbits is relatively rare compared to resistance in S. aureus isolates originating from other animals and humans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Poultry Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium. dieter.vancraeynest@ugent.be
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vancraeynest
authors.forename: Katleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hermans
authors.forename: An
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martel
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vaneechoutte
authors.forename: Luc A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Devriese
authors.forename: Freddy
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Haesebrouck
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D011817:Rabbits; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial