Antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus spp. isolated from canine specimens submitted to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory in South Africa

Background and Aim: The rising burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in veterinary medicine poses significant threats to animal and public health. In South Africa, inadequate surveillance exacerbates the challenge, particularly regarding Staphylococcus spp. infections in companion animals. This s...

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Main Authors: Themba Titus Sigudu, James W. Oguttu, Daniel N. Qekwana
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Veterinary World 2025-06-01
Series:Veterinary World
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Online Access:https://www.veterinaryworld.org/Vol.18/June-2025/3.pdf
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author Themba Titus Sigudu
James W. Oguttu
Daniel N. Qekwana
author_facet Themba Titus Sigudu
James W. Oguttu
Daniel N. Qekwana
author_sort Themba Titus Sigudu
collection DOAJ
description Background and Aim: The rising burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in veterinary medicine poses significant threats to animal and public health. In South Africa, inadequate surveillance exacerbates the challenge, particularly regarding Staphylococcus spp. infections in companion animals. This study aimed to investigate the patterns and predictors of AMR and multidrug resistance (MDR) in Staphylococcus isolated from dogs between 2012 and 2017. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 1627 Staphylococcus isolates. Data regarding animal demographics and antimicrobial susceptibility were extracted, cleaned, and analyzed. Intermediate susceptibility results were classified as resistant. AMR was defined as resistance to at least one antimicrobial class and MDR as resistance to three or more classes. Descriptive statistics, Cochran–Armitage trend analysis, and binary logistic regression models were employed to assess trends and predictors of AMR and MDR. Results: Overall, 61.2% of isolates exhibited resistance to at least one antimicrobial, and 39.0% were classified as MDR. The highest resistance was observed against penicillins (39.64%), followed by aminoglycosides (22.31%). Significant predictors of AMR included Staphylococcus species, specimen type, and year of isolation, while MDR was significantly associated with specimen type and the age of the dog. Notably, Staphylococcus pseudintermedius showed a markedly higher likelihood of resistance (adjusted odds ratio = 2.23, p < 0.001) compared to other species. Temporal trends indicated a decrease in AMR but an increase in MDR across the study period. Conclusion: The high prevalence of AMR and MDR among canine Staphylococcus isolates, particularly in skin infections and among younger dogs, underscores the urgent need to strengthen antimicrobial stewardship, enhance surveillance systems, and target interventions in veterinary practice. These findings serve as critical baseline data for future assessments of AMR trends and can be used to inform strategies to mitigate the dissemination of resistant pathogens between animals and humans.
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spelling doaj-art-909a7fd9fa6d48aa9d7e5f7b73fb11082025-08-20T03:10:58ZengVeterinary WorldVeterinary World0972-89882231-09162025-06-011861421143210.14202/vetworld.2025.1421-1432Antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus spp. isolated from canine specimens submitted to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory in South AfricaThemba Titus Sigudu0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0532-0321James W. Oguttu1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6810-4437Daniel N. Qekwana2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4609-5151Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa; Division of Health and Society, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa.Section Veterinary Public Health, Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.Background and Aim: The rising burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in veterinary medicine poses significant threats to animal and public health. In South Africa, inadequate surveillance exacerbates the challenge, particularly regarding Staphylococcus spp. infections in companion animals. This study aimed to investigate the patterns and predictors of AMR and multidrug resistance (MDR) in Staphylococcus isolated from dogs between 2012 and 2017. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 1627 Staphylococcus isolates. Data regarding animal demographics and antimicrobial susceptibility were extracted, cleaned, and analyzed. Intermediate susceptibility results were classified as resistant. AMR was defined as resistance to at least one antimicrobial class and MDR as resistance to three or more classes. Descriptive statistics, Cochran–Armitage trend analysis, and binary logistic regression models were employed to assess trends and predictors of AMR and MDR. Results: Overall, 61.2% of isolates exhibited resistance to at least one antimicrobial, and 39.0% were classified as MDR. The highest resistance was observed against penicillins (39.64%), followed by aminoglycosides (22.31%). Significant predictors of AMR included Staphylococcus species, specimen type, and year of isolation, while MDR was significantly associated with specimen type and the age of the dog. Notably, Staphylococcus pseudintermedius showed a markedly higher likelihood of resistance (adjusted odds ratio = 2.23, p < 0.001) compared to other species. Temporal trends indicated a decrease in AMR but an increase in MDR across the study period. Conclusion: The high prevalence of AMR and MDR among canine Staphylococcus isolates, particularly in skin infections and among younger dogs, underscores the urgent need to strengthen antimicrobial stewardship, enhance surveillance systems, and target interventions in veterinary practice. These findings serve as critical baseline data for future assessments of AMR trends and can be used to inform strategies to mitigate the dissemination of resistant pathogens between animals and humans.https://www.veterinaryworld.org/Vol.18/June-2025/3.pdfantimicrobial resistancecanine infectionsmultidrug resistancesouth africastaphylococcusveterinary surveillance
spellingShingle Themba Titus Sigudu
James W. Oguttu
Daniel N. Qekwana
Antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus spp. isolated from canine specimens submitted to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory in South Africa
Veterinary World
antimicrobial resistance
canine infections
multidrug resistance
south africa
staphylococcus
veterinary surveillance
title Antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus spp. isolated from canine specimens submitted to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory in South Africa
title_full Antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus spp. isolated from canine specimens submitted to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory in South Africa
title_fullStr Antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus spp. isolated from canine specimens submitted to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory in South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus spp. isolated from canine specimens submitted to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory in South Africa
title_short Antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus spp. isolated from canine specimens submitted to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory in South Africa
title_sort antimicrobial resistance of staphylococcus spp isolated from canine specimens submitted to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory in south africa
topic antimicrobial resistance
canine infections
multidrug resistance
south africa
staphylococcus
veterinary surveillance
url https://www.veterinaryworld.org/Vol.18/June-2025/3.pdf
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