Background: The aim of the present study was to investigate the genetic
relatedness and the antimicrobial resistance profiles of a collection of
Austrian Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates from companion animals and horses.
A total of 12 non-repetitive isolates presumptively identified as S.
pneumoniae were obtained during routinely diagnostic activities between March
2009 and January 2017. Results: Isolates were confirmed as S. pneumoniae by
bile solubility and optochin susceptibility testing, matrix-assisted laser
desorption-ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry and
sequence analysis of a part recA and the 16S rRNA genes. Isolates were further
characterized by pneumolysin polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and genotyped by
multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was
performed and resistance genes were detected by specific PCR assays. All
isolates were serotyped. Four sequence types (ST) (ST36, ST3546, ST6934 and
ST6937) and four serotypes (3, 19A, 19F and 23F) were detected. Two isolates
from twelve displayed a multidrug-resistance pheno- and genotype. Conclusions:
This study represents the first comprehensive investigation on characteristics
of S. pneumoniae isolates recovered from Austrian companion animals and
horses. The obtained results indicate that common human sero- (23F) and
sequence type (ST36) implicated in causing invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD)
may circulate in dogs. Isolates obtained from other examined animals seem to
be host-adapted
