Staphylococcus aureus, a well known human pathogen, is increasingly recognized as a significant cause of infections in various animal species, including rabbits. Its growing prevalence and the development of resistance to multiple antibiotics, resulting from their excessive and incorrect use, represents a significant threat to public health. Therefore, the main objectives of this study were to assess the presence of methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in rabbits with infections and to determine their antimicrobial resistance, shedding light on potential public health implications.
In this study, 79 samples were collected from rabbits with infections from different farms in northern Portugal. Eight MRSA strains were randomly selected and then tested against 14 antimicrobial agents, including penicillin, cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, macrolides, tetracyclines, oxazolidinones, and other miscellaneous agents. Susceptibility testing was carried out using the agar disc diffusion method, as recommended by the EUCAST and CLSI guidelines.
Of the 79 samples, 35 were from pododermatitis, of which 31.43% corresponded with MRSA and 17.14% with MSSA. Of the 33 samples from mastitis, 45.45% were MRSA and 15.15% were MSSA. The abscess samples (eight) had 25% MRSA and 12.5% MSSA. None of the metritis samples (three) tested positive for MRSA or MSSA. Of the strains selected, 37.5% were resistant to penicillin, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, tobramycin, erythromycin, and clindamycin. Only 12.5% showed resistance to kanamycin, tetracycline, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. None of the strains studied showed resistance to cefoxitin, linezolid, chloramphenicol, fusidic acid, or mupirocin.
These results highlight the need to monitor and control S. aureus in rabbits for both animal welfare and public health, given the antibiotic resistance challenges. Some strategies are therefore needed to alleviate these problems, from the appropriate and conscientious use of antimicrobials, reinforcement of infection control measures, and surveillance of antimicrobial resistance. Future studies should investigate the potential routes of transmission between rabbits, humans, and the environment to better inform control measures
