Belhout Chahrazed, Fernandez Javier E, Butaye Patrick, Perreten Vincent
Division of Molecular Bacterial Epidemiology & Infectious Diseases, Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Switzerland.
Department of Pathobiology, Pharmacology and Zoological Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium; Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
J Glob Antimicrob Resist. 2025 Mar;41:96-104. doi: 10.1016/j.jgar.2024.12.017. Epub 2024 Dec 30.
Sheep farming represents an important economic sector in Algeria, and the potential dissemination of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcaceae (MRS) is a critical veterinary and public health concern. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and types of MRS in ovine in Algeria and characterize them using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) analysis.
Two hundred sheep from 20 different Algerian farms across 3 regions were screened for nasal colonization with MRS. The isolates were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), their minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by broth microdilution, and the presence of the mec gene was confirmed with polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The mec-positive isolates were sequenced using Illumina technology to build species specific core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST)- and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)-based phylogenies and perform an in silico screening for antimicrobial resistance genes.
The prevalence of MRS-positive farms was 85% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 69.34%-100%) across the sampled farms. Ten distinct Staphylococcaceae species were identified, with Staphylococcus saprophyticus (S. saprophyticus; n = 29), Mammaliicoccus lentus (M. lentus; n = 24), and Staphylococcus haemolyticus (S. haemolyticus; n = 19) being the predominant species. WGS-based phylogeny and SNP analysis (0 to 126 SNPs) revealed that isolates of these three species were highly related, indicating clonal dissemination within and between farms. MRS exhibited a multi-drug resistance pattern, with detection of resistance genes for β-lactams, tetracyclines, fusidic acid, trimethoprim, aminoglycosides, tiamulin, and macrolides.
Specific clonal lineages of methicillin-resistant S. saprophyticus, S. haemolyticus, and M. lentus are widespread in Algerian sheep farms. Enhancing hygiene practices on farms is recommended to prevent further dissemination of these resistant strains to animals and humans. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of International Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.
养羊业是阿尔及利亚重要的经济部门，耐甲氧西林葡萄球菌科（MRS）的潜在传播是兽医和公共卫生领域的关键问题。本研究旨在确定阿尔及利亚绵羊中MRS的流行率和类型，并通过全基因组测序（WGS）分析对其进行特征描述。
对来自阿尔及利亚3个地区20个不同农场的200只绵羊进行鼻腔定植MRS的筛查。通过基质辅助激光解吸电离飞行时间质谱（MALDI-TOF MS）鉴定分离株，通过肉汤微量稀释法测定其最低抑菌浓度（MIC），并用聚合酶链反应（PCR）确认mec基因的存在。对mec阳性分离株使用Illumina技术进行测序，以构建基于物种特异性核心基因组多位点序列分型（cgMLST）和单核苷酸多态性（SNP）的系统发育树，并进行抗菌药物耐药基因的电子筛选。
在抽样农场中，MRS阳性农场的流行率为85%（95%置信区间[CI]=69.34%-100%）。鉴定出10种不同的葡萄球菌科物种，其中腐生葡萄球菌（S. saprophyticus；n = 29）、缓症栖居球菌（M. lentus；n = 24）和溶血葡萄球菌（S. haemolyticus；n = 19）为优势物种。基于WGS的系统发育树和SNP分析（0至126个SNP）显示，这三个物种的分离株高度相关，表明在农场内部和农场之间存在克隆传播。MRS呈现多药耐药模式，检测到β-内酰胺类、四环素类、夫西地酸、甲氧苄啶、氨基糖苷类、泰妙菌素和大环内酯类的耐药基因。
耐甲氧西林的腐生葡萄球菌、溶血葡萄球菌和缓症栖居球菌的特定克隆谱系在阿尔及利亚绵羊农场中广泛存在。建议加强农场卫生措施，以防止这些耐药菌株进一步传播给动物和人类。© 2025作者。由爱思唯尔有限公司代表国际抗菌化疗协会出版。
