Phylogenetic analysis of livestock oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

The aim of this study was to characterize oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (ORSA) isolates from livestock environments and meat market workers by molecular epidemiological analysis. Staphylococcal enterotoxin reversed passive latex agglutination (RPLA) and multiplex polymerase chain reactions (PCR) were used to detect enterotoxin-producing S. aureus. The molecular genetic similarity of ORSA was also compared by pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multi-locus sequence typing (MLST). A total of 30 ORSA isolates were identified and 27 of these strains were from human sources-a higher contamination potential from human origin in the animal raising and handling field was suspected. The most common type of enterotoxin detected in this study was type B. Regarding the bacterial phylogenetic analysis of ORSA isolates, five major clusters of PFGE patterns were suggested with >80% similarity in cluster I. Seven MLST patterns were identified with the most prevalent types being ST338/ST338slv and ST59. Population genetic studies based on MLST have shown that major ORSA clones have emerged from six clonal complexes (CCs), with CC59 being the dominant one. In conclusion, a high prevalence of ORSA with enterotoxin type B as well as ST59 and ST338/ST338slv colonization was observed among livestock with human origins in this study. We suggest further tracking and comparing of the epidemiological evidence of community-acquired and hospital-acquired ORSA in human living environments and livestock-producing environments.