Molecular evidence of mecA gene encoding methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from cats in Surabaya, Indonesia

Abstract

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a novel strain of this bacterium that is resistant to b-lactam antibiotics with multidrug-resistant (MDR) features. Probable MRSA reservoirs have been identified in pet animals. This investigation sought to determine the mecA gene, which confers methicillin resistance in MRSA in cats. A total of 150 cats were collected from animal clinics and veterinary hospitals in five regions of Surabaya, Indonesia. S. aureus isolates were tested for antibiotic resistance using the Kirby-Bauer diffusion method, which consisted of streaking bacterial suspensions according to the 0.5 McFarland standard and then placing five different antibiotic disks on Mueller–Hinton Agar (MHA). Oxacillin resistance screening agar base (ORSAB) was used to continue cultivating cefoxitin-resistant S. aureus isolates as an MRSA confirmation test. Eighteen (12%) S. aureus isolates were found as a result of the identification and isolation. The antibiotic resistance test results revealed 7 (38.88%) multidrug-resistant (MDR) isolates: 3 (16.66%) MDR S. aureus isolates and 4 (22.22%) MDR S. aureus isolates testing positive for ORSAB, which were identified as MDR and MRSA isolates, respectively. Four MRSA isolates were then subjected to molecular detection using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), with positive results revealed by a band that appeared at 310 bp. This study unearthed molecular evidence for the mecA gene that confers methicillin resistance in MRSA. It can be concluded that strict monitoring for MRSA in cats is required due to the significance of these bacteria and their potential for zoonotic transmission.