HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Interpretive Summary Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Hata, E. Articles by Eguchi, M. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Hata, E. Articles by Eguchi, M.

Bacteriological Characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus Isolates from Humans and Bulk Milk

E. Hata^*,1, K. Katsuda, H. Kobayashi, K. Nishimori, I. Uchida^*, M. Higashide, E. Ishikawa, T. Sasaki and M. Eguchi^*

^* Hokkaido Research Station, National Institute of Animal Health, 4 Hitsujigaoka, Toyohira-Ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 062-0045, Japan
Shichinohe Research Unit, National Institute of Animal Health, 31 Uminai, Shichinohe, Kamikita, Aomori 039-2586, Japan
National Institute of Animal Health, 3-1-5 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0856, Japan
Kotobiken Medical Laboratories Inc., 445-1 Kamiyokoba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0854, Japan

¹ Corresponding author: ehata{at}affrc.go.jp

The aim of this study was to clarify the epidemiological association and bacteriological characteristics of human and animal Staphylococcus aureus isolates. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis showed that pulsotypes (PT) of isolates from bulk milk differed from PT from human isolates, suggesting that there is no epidemiological association between isolates from these 2 sources. The absence of a common PT could result from the lack of contact between the sources. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus from human secretions and S. aureus from bulk milk in Japan consisted of 1 and 2 dominant clusters, respectively, whereas methicillin-susceptible S. aureus from humans consisted of assorted clusters. Isolates belonging to the dominant clusters showed the coagulase serotype, the capsule serotype, detection of exotoxin genes, and antimicrobial susceptibility. Isolates from bulk milk did not show the penicillin-binding protein 2a gene, and 252 of 275 isolates belonging to the 2 dominant clusters of bulk milk were susceptible to ampicillin, cefazolin, erythromycin, chloramphenicol, oxacillin, and vancomycin. Moreover, the LukM/LukF'-PV leukotoxin gene was detected in 233 of 275 isolates belonging to the dominant clusters in bulk milk isolates. These results support the hypothesis that a number of factors play a role in the adaptation of S. aureus isolates to specific hosts.

Key Words: Staphylococcus aureus • pulsed-field gel electrophoresis • LukM/LukF'-PV