Characterisation of clinical canine meticillin-resistant and meticillin-susceptible Staphylococcus pseudintermedius in France

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is a frequent pathogen in dogs. The emergence of meticillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MRSP), which is concomitantly resistant to nearly all veterinary licensed antibiotics used for systemic treatment in dogs, is a major problem for veterinarians. In France, 16.9% (41/243) of the S. pseudintermedius collected in 2010 were MRSP. They mainly belonged to the multiresistant MLST sequence type ST71, spa type t02, SCCmec type II-III (ST71–t02–II-III) European clone. Moreover, we also report the emergence of multiresistant meticillin-susceptible S. pseudintermedius isolates presenting atypical and/or new spa types. This study highlights the need for surveillance, optimised treatment guidelines and new therapeutic alternatives.