Molecular Characterization of Methicillin- and Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius Strain Isolated from a Case of Feline Otitis Externa

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) is an emerging zoonotic pathogen in veterinary medicine. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) is highly preferred today as a valid method for molecular typing of bacterial pathogens due to its high discriminatory power and characterization efficiency. This study describes the WGS-based characterization of an MRSP strain named HMKU-VET-MRSP-2020 from a case of cat otitis externa in Turkiye. The strain was classified as MLST sequence type 71 and SCCmec type IIIA. WGS analysis indicated the presence of several antimicrobial resistance genes and mutations consistent with the resistance phenotype. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the strain was clusterized with the isolates from dog clinical cases previously reported from different countries of Europe and one human isolate from the USA. The study is the first report on the isolation and molecular characterization of MRSP from a cat in Turkiye and provides insights into the zoonotic potential of this microorganism.