title: Aerobic bacteria from mucous membranes, ear canals, and skin wounds of feral cats in Grenada, and the antimicrobial drug susceptibility of major isolates.
abstract: In a 2-year period 54 feral cats were captured in Grenada, West Indies, and a total of 383 samples consisting of swabs from rectum, vagina, ears, eyes, mouth, nose and wounds/abscesses, were cultured for aerobic bacteria and campylobacters. A total of 251 bacterial isolates were obtained, of which 205 were identified to species level and 46 to genus level. A commercial bacterial identification system (API/Biomerieux), was used for this purpose. The most common species was Escherichia coli (N=60), followed by Staphylococcus felis/simulans (40), S. hominis (16), S. haemolyticus (12), Streptococcus canis (9), Proteus mirabilis (8), Pasteurella multocida (7), Streptococcus mitis (7), Staphylococcus xylosus (7), S. capitis (6), S. chromogenes (4), S. sciuri (3), S. auricularis (2), S. lentus (2), S. hyicus (2), Streptococcus suis (2) and Pseudomonas argentinensis (2). Sixteen other isolates were identified to species level. A molecular method using 16S rRNA sequencing was used to confirm/identify 22 isolates. Salmonella or campylobacters were not isolated from rectal swabs. E. coli and S. felis/simulans together constituted 50% of isolates from vagina. S. felis/simulans was the most common species from culture positive ear and eye samples. P. multocida was isolated from 15% of mouth samples. Coagulase-negative staphylococci were the most common isolates from nose and wound swabs. Staphylococcus aureus, or S. intemedius/S. pseudintermedius were not isolated from any sample. Antimicrobial drug resistance was minimal, most isolates being susceptible to all drugs tested against, including tetracycline.
authors.affiliation: Pathobiology Academic Program, School of Veterinary Medicine, St. George's University, University Centre, Grenada. hhariharan@sgu.edu
authors.forename: Harry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hariharan
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Matthew
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fountain
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Snell
authors.forename: Devin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Doherty
authors.forename: Brittany
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: Eran
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shemer
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Ravindra N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001420:Bacteria, Aerobic / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D002415:Cats; D004424:Ear Canal / Q000382:microbiology*; D005123:Eye / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D019425:Grenada; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000382:microbiology*; D012007:Rectum / Q000382:microbiology; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries / Q000382:microbiology; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents