title: Usefulness of cefovecin disk-diffusion test for predicting mecA gene-containing strains of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and clinical efficacy of cefovecin in dogs with superficial pyoderma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cefovecin has been widely used to treat skin infections in dogs. The relationship of the cefovecin disk-diffusion test results to the presence of the mecA gene and the clinical efficacy of cefovecin have not been fully evaluated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the usefulness of an in vitro cefovecin disk-diffusion test in predicting the presence of the mecA gene in Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, as well as the in vivo efficacy of cefovecin therapy in dogs with superficial pyoderma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six S. pseudintermedius strains isolated from 22 dogs with pyoderma were used. In vitro disk-diffusion test results of cefovecin were compared with agar-dilution test results, the presence of the mecA gene, and the improvement in clinical scores of dogs with superficial pyoderma at 14 days post treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant linear correlation (r = -0.83) between the diameter of the obvious zone of inhibition by disk diffusion and the minimal inhibitory concentration for cefovecin (P < 0.0001). Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed that zone diameters between 25 and 27 mm exhibited better sensitivity (92.9%) and specificity (100.0%) for detection of strains carrying the mecA gene. The mean improvement in clinical scores in dogs carrying cefovecin-resistant strains was significantly lower than in dogs carrying cefovecin-susceptible strains (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The cefovecin disk-diffusion test with a cut-off value estimated in this study was valuable for predicting mecA gene carriage in S. pseudintermedius, as well as the in vivo efficacy of cefovecin therapy in dogs with superficial pyoderma caused by S. pseudintermedius.
authors: Animal Medical Center, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan.
authors: Keita
authors: K
authors: Iyori
authors: Yoichi
authors: Y
authors: Toyoda
authors: Kaori
authors: K
authors: Ide
authors: Toshiroh
authors: T
authors: Iwasaki
authors: Koji
authors: K
authors: Nishifuji
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D052978:Disk Diffusion Antimicrobial Tests; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011711:Pyoderma / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013207:Staphylococcal Skin Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002511:Cephalosporins; C548250:MecA protein, Staphylococcus pseudintermedius; C516253:cefovecin