STAPHYLOCOCCI ISOLATED FROM ABSCESSES IN SLAUGHTERED ANIMALS - CHARACTERIZATION AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL-STUDIES

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 178  (5-6) , 551-561
Abstract
Strains of gram-positive, catalase-positive cocci (71) were isolated from 112 abscesses observed during inspection of slaughtered animals (sheep, cattle, pigs and goats). Based on lysostaphin sensitivity, all strains were identified as staphylococci; 4 of them did not ferment glucose anaerobically. Classification at the species level was accomplished by complete characterization of the strains. Of 35 coagulase-positive isolates, 30 were classified as S. aureus and 2 as S. intermedius; 3 could not be classified. Of 36 coagulase-negative cultures, 1 was classified as S. hyicus ssp. hyicus, 3 as S. simulans, 2 as S. haemolyticus, 5 as S. hominis, 3 as E. pidermidis, 2 as S. capitis, 3 as S. warneri, 4 as S. xylosus, 1 as S. cohnii and 1 as S. saprophyticus. The remaining 11 strains could not be classified. Of the 30 S. aureus strains, 17 belonged to biotype C; 7 were classified as intermediate (shared properties of biotypes A and C), 3 as similar to biotype C and 1 as similar to biotype A; 2 could not be biotyped. Of the 16 biotype C strains, 12 showed characteristics of ovine S. Aureus. Of the strains, 11 and 18 were lysed by human and bovine phages, respectively. Some strains (23 S. aureus and 2 coagulase-positive, unclassified cultures) produced enterotoxins. The enterotoxins produced were: C (14 strains), D (2 strains), A (1 strain), E (1 strain), A + C (1 strain) and A + D (6 strains). A good correlation between the type of enterotoxin produced, biotype and phage type was observed.