Description of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius from canine pyoderma in Minas Gerais state, Brazil

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) is of worldwide concern in veterinary medicine. The identification of resistant strains is necessary for proper treatment and the prevention of its propagation among animals. This study aimed to identify S. pseudintermedius isolated from canine pyoderma and evaluate their resistance profiles. Lesions from 25 dogs with pyoderma were sampled. Bacterial isolates were subjected to phenotypic and genotypic analysis for identification of the causative agent. S. pseudintermedius isolates were subjected to SmaI macrorestriction analysis and PFGE for genetic grouping, and PCR to identify the presence of the mecA gene. Their resistance profiles against 12 antimicrobials were also assessed. According to the microbiological analysis, 70 of the 75 isolates obtained were S. pseudintermedius. The isolates presented PFGE patterns, with similarity varying between 84.6 and 100%, and were grouped into 19 clusters. Despite a high frequency of mecA-positive isolates (66 out 70), only 12 presented resistances to oxacillin. Multi-resistance was identified in 29 isolates. The high frequency of MRSP isolated in this study highlights the relevance of identifying resistant strains to lead proper clinical treatment

Performance of Petrifilm Aerobic Count plates on enumeration of lactic acid bacteria in fermented milks

This study aimed to compare Petrifilm Aerobic Count (AC) plates and the conventional pour plate methodology using the de Man-Rogosa-Sharpe (MRS) agar for the enumeration of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in fermented milks (FMs), with different starter cultures added. FM samples (n = 66) were collected and plated on both methodologies, with incubation under anaerobic conditions at 35C for 48 h. The count results were compared by analysis of variance (P <= 0.05) and regression analysis. No differences between the mean counts obtained by both methodologies were observed, even when distinct FMs were compared. Considering all samples, a high correlation level was obtained between Petrifilm AC and MRS agar (r = 0.92), but these indexes were lower in FMs with Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus (r = 0.90) and Lactobacillus fortis (r = 0.81). Despite some slight interferences, Petrifilm AC has proven to be a convenient methodology on enumerating LAB in FM

Foodborne pathogens and microbiological characteristics of raw milk soft cheese produced and on retail sale in Brazil

The consumption of raw milk soft cheeses (RMSC), which are typically manufactured in small dairy farms under unsatisfactory hygiene conditions, is common in Brazil. Due to these production characteristics, this type of cheese is a potential carrier of pathogenic microorganisms, such as Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, and enterotoxin-producing Staphylococcus spp. Considering these characteristics, in this work, we aimed to detect the presence of these pathogenic microorganisms in RMC and to evaluate their microbiological quality. Fifty-five samples of this product were collected from different noninspected commercial establishments and submitted to the enumeration of mesophilic aerobes (MA), total coliforms (TC), Escherichia coli, and coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS), and detection of L. monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. All analyzed samples were negative for Salmonella spp. and L. monocytogenes. All samples presented counts of MA higher than [10.sup.6] colony forming units/g (CFU/g; range, 3.0 x [10.sup.6] to 4.0 x [10.sup.9]). TC were present at levels between 1.0 x [10.sup.3] and 1.8 x [10.sup.8] CFU/g, and E. coli between 1.0 x [10.sup.2] and 3.5 x [10.sup.6] CFU/g. CPS were detected in 17 (30.9%) samples at levels higher than [10.sup.4] CFU/g. These results confirm the poor microbiological quality of raw milk used in the manufacturing of RMC samples, and also the inadequate production conditions. Therefore, the evaluation of microbiological safety and quality of these products must be constantly reported to alert the official agencies about the significance of proper inspection