Vol. 6, Issue 10, Part F (2020)

Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections have now gained importance leading to increased diagnosis and detection in companion animals. They act as potential reservoir of infection to humans. The study was undertaken to know the occurence of MRSA in dogs in and around Puducherry region. Out of 105 nasal swabs collected from dogs, 50 CPS and 54 CONS could be isolated and were characterized up to species level based on the biochemical reactions. Only the CPS isolates were taken up for further study. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing employing 17 antimicrobial agents indicated that 90% of these isolates were sensitive to cloxacillin and enrofloxacin. PCR targeting mecA gene could detect methicillin resistance in 10% of the CPS isolated from the nasal swabs of dogs. All the mecA positive isolates from nasal swabs of dogs belonged to SCCmec Type III.