Other Staphylococcus spp. infections

M M HENTON

GENERAL INTRODUCTION: GRAM-POSITIVE COCCI Staphylococcus spp. infections

Apart from Staphylococcus intermedius, S. aureus, S. epidermidis and S. hyicus, other Staphylococcus spp. are only associated with disease as opportunists.

Staphylococcus intermedius is generally found on the skin and nasal membranes of carnivores, and is most commonly associated with canine pyoderma. It also occurs on the skin of horses, goats and pigeons, as well as other animals³ but rarely of humans unless they have a close association with carnivores.⁴ Staphylococcus intermedius has also been associated with otitis externa in dogs, wound infection in various animal species, and mastitis in cattle.⁵

Staphylococcus epidermidis as an occasional opportunistic pathogen causes mastitis in cows.⁶ Staphylococcus simulans has been isolated from cases of mastitis in cows and sheep.¹ Staphylococcus chromogenes was associated with a case of impetigo in a goat.²

References

1. AARESTRUP, F.M., LARSEN, H.D. & JENSEN, N.E., 1999. Characterization of Staphylococcus simulans strains isolated from cases of bovine mastitis. Veterinary Microbiology, 66, 165–170.
2. ANDREWS, A.H. & LAMPORT A., 1997. Isolation of Staphylococcus chromogenes from an unusual case of impetigo in a goat. The Veterinary Record, 140, 584.
3. GREENE, R.T. & LÄMMLER, C., 1993. Staphylococcus intermedius: Current knowledge on a pathogen of veterinary importance. Journal of Veterinary Medicine B, 40, 206–214.
4. MAHOUDEAU, I., DELABRANCHE, X., PREVOST, G., MONTEIL, H. & PIEMONT,Y., 1997. Frequency of isolation of Staphylococcus intermedius from humans. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 35, 2153–2154.
5. PHILLIPS, W.E. & KLOOS, W.E., 1981. Identification of coagulase-positive Staphylococcus intermedius and Staphylococcus hyicus subsp. hyicus isolates from veterinary clinical specimens. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 14, 671–673.
6. SCHLEIFER, K.H., 1986. Gram-positive cocci. In: SNEATH, P.H.A., MAIR, N.S., SHARPE, M.E. & HOLT, J.G. (eds) Bergey’s Manual of Systematic Bacteriology. Vol II. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins.