Genotypic relatedness of staphylococcal strains isolated from pustules and carriage sites in dogs with superficial bacterial folliculitis.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether staphylococcal isolates cultured from pustules and carriage sites in dogs with superficial bacterial folliculitis were genotypically the same strain by use of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).


METHODS
40 dogs with superficial bacterial folliculitis.


METHODS
Samples were obtained from 3 pustules and 3 carriage sites (anus, axillary skin, and nasal mucosa). Bacterial culture, morphologic identification, Gram staining, catalase and coagulase tests, speciation, and PFGE were performed.


RESULTS
Of 246 isolates, 203 were Staphylococcus intermedius, 5 were Staphylococcus aureus, 15 were Staphylococcusspp, and 22 were coagulase-negative staphylococcal isolates. No dog had an isolate with the same PFGE pattern as an isolate from another dog. Coagulase-positive isolates from multiple pustules and multiple carriage sites had the same PFGE pattern in 37 of 39 (94.9%) and 22 of 39 (56.4%) dogs, respectively. Coagulase-positive staphylococcal isolates from at least 1 pustule had the same PFGE pattern as an isolate from at least 1 carriage site in 34 of 36 (94.4%) dogs. Ninety-seven of 116 (83.6%) coagulase-positive staphylococcal isolates from pustules had the same PFGE pattern as an isolate from at least 1 carriage site. Sixty-nine of 91 (75.8%) coagulase-positive staphylococcal isolates from carriage sites had the same PFGE pattern as an isolate from at least 1 pustule.


CONCLUSIONS
Coagulasepositive staphylococcal strains were heterogeneous among dogs with superficial bacterial folliculitis. In individual dogs, strains from multiple pustules were genotypically the same, and strains from pustules were genotypically the same as strains from carriage sites.
Pinchbeck
Lauren R
LR
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, 43210, USA.
Cole
Lynette K
LK
Hillier
Andrew
A
Kowalski
Joseph J
JJ
Rajala-Schultz
Päivi J
PJ
Bannerman
Tammy L
TL
York
Steven
S
D000818:Animals; D002353:Carrier State; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005499:Folliculitis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005838:Genotype; D008297:Male; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology; D013207:Staphylococcal Skin Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*