Antimicrobial resistance of feline staphylococci in southeastern England

Staphylococcus aureus is reported as the predominant feline staphylococcal pathogen. There is concern that cats may transfer resistant staphylococci t o humans. In this study, staphylococci were obtained from skin and mucosae of 20 domestic cats, 9 with lesions, and 10 healthy feral cats. Species wer e identified by DNase and API ID32 Staph tests. Of 187 isolates, 21.4% were coagulase-positive and predominately from lesional cats; 90% of these were Staphylococcus intermedius. Coagulase-negative species were isolated equal ly in all three groups. All isolates were susceptible to coamoxiclav, cepha lexin and bacitracin. Twenty-two, including 18 coagulase-negative isolates, showed some resistance to cotrimoxazole, lincomycin, enrofloxacin or oxyte tracycline. Two isolates were resistant to more than one antibiotic. More r esistant isolates were obtained from feral cats (P < 0.01). The results sug gest that S. intermedius is the principal coagulase-positive species. Antib iotic resistance is generally low amongst feline staphylococci. Higher resi stance amongst feral cats suggests exposure to environmental antibiotics.