Molecular Prevalence and Antimicrobial Resistance Profile of and Isolated From Hospital-Visited Cats.

Coagulase-positive staphylococci, notably and , are common pathogens that are frequently associated with suppurative infections in companion animals. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the molecular prevalence, antimicrobial resistance profiles, and associated risk factors of and carriage in cats. Standard bacteriological procedures as well as the and genes specific PCR were performed to isolate and identify the and . Methicillin-resistant (MRSA) and methicillin-resistant (MRSP) were identified by detecting the A gene. A total of 251 swab samples were collected from different body sites of 80 cats. The results showed that 24 (30%) and 5 (6.25%) cats carried and , respectively. isolates exhibited the highest resistance to penicillin (94.29%) and ampicillin (91.5%), while 60% of isolates were resistant to ampicillin, erythromycin, and ciprofloxacin. Thirty-two (91%) isolates and two (40%) isolates demonstrated resistance to ≥ 3 classes of antimicrobials, indicating multidrug resistance (MDR). The prevalence of MRSA was 11.43%, with none of the isolates carrying the gene and neither nor harboring the gene. Multivariable logistic regression identified the previous use of antibiotics as a risk factor for colonization in cats (odds ratio [OR] 3.84; 95% CI: 1.23-11.95). Cats with otitis externa (OR 46; 95% CI: 3.2-660.4) and steroid use (OR 46; 95% CI: 3.2-660.4) were potential risk factors for carriage. The circulation of MDR isolates, including the detection of MRSA, poses a significant concern for the clinical management of companion animals.