Abstract

Mohammad A. Alzohairy

Methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major human pathogen that causes severe morbidity and mortality worldwide. Additionally MRSA is widely spread in different animals. There are a growing number of MRSA cases have been reported in dogs, cats, horses, sheep, and other animals indicating the animal health treat too. To assess the frequency of MRSA among animals in Qassim region, a total of 400 samples were collected from camels, sheep, cows, and goats from 334 Staphylococci recovered, 158 (47.3%) were coagulase positive Staphylococcus, among them 90 (57%) were MRSA and 68 (43%) were methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). The reaming strains 176 (52.7%) were coagulase negative Staphylococcus, including 32 (18.2%) were methicillin-resistant coagulase negative Staphylococcus and 144 (81.8%) were methicillin-sensitive coagulase negative Staphylococcus. High rate of MRSA and MRCoNS were isolated from camel and sheep while lower rates were observed in goat and cow. Multi drug resistance (MDR) rate among MRSA and MRCoNS isolates was high. MRSA strains are highly prevalent among animals in Qassim region and they may play a potential role of disseminating pathogens between animal and human as well as to the community. Detection of MRSA will be essential for early prevention and control of community acquired infections.