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. 2025 May 7;12(2):396-419.
doi: 10.5455/javar.2025.l907. eCollection 2025 Jun.

Molecular identification of antibiotic-resistant and virulent Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus isolated from dogs in Southern Benin

Ayaovi Bruno Yaovi  1 , Arpita Das  2 , Rama N Behera  2 , Prudencio Comlan Sossa-Minou  1 , Vinod Singh Bisht  2 , Monica Yadav  2 , Ayushi Kapoor  2 , François Dossa  1 , Paulin Azokpota  3 , Souaϊbou Farougou  1 , Lamine Baba-Moussa  4 , Kiran Ambatipudi  2 , Philippe Sessou  1
Affiliations

Molecular identification of antibiotic-resistant and virulent Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus isolated from dogs in Southern Benin

Ayaovi Bruno Yaovi et al. J Adv Vet Anim Res. .

Abstract

Objective: Antibiotic resistance is a worldwide health challenge. Close interaction with dogs carrying antibiotic-resistant zoonotic agents poses a risk to human health. The present study aimed to characterize antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) isolated from dogs in Southern Benin.

Materials and methods: A total of 336 swabs (112 buccal, 112 nasal, and 112 rectal) from 112 dogs living in the communes of Abomey-Calavi and Cotonou were analyzed for E. coli and S. aureus presence. Bacterial isolates were tested for antibiotic (penicillins, tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, cephalosporins, sulfonamides, and macrolides) susceptibility using the disc diffusion method, and antibiotic-resistant strains were characterized by the polymerase chain reaction method.

Results: A 41.07% and 20.53% of dogs harbored E. coli and S. aureus, respectively. Escherichia coli and S. aureus isolates showed resistance to penicillin (100% and 81.48%), tetracycline (44.64% and 59.26%), and other antimicrobials tested. Escherichia coli isolates harbored resistance genes blaTEM (63.46%), tetA (62.50%), and strA-strB (55.56%). tetK (100%), tetM (100%), and blaZ (82.61%) were present in S. aureus isolates. Escherichia coli strains harbored virulence genes fimH (61.54%), kpsMTII (26.92%), fyuA (19.23%), and eae (1.92%), whereas 20.83% of S. aureus strains harbored pvl and fnbA.

Conclusion: The results of the current study reveal the urgent need for stricter controls on antibiotic use. Implementing guidelines, responsible prescribing, and increasing public awareness are crucial steps to address this problem.

Keywords: Benin; Dogs; Escherichia coli; Prevalence; Staphylococcus aureus.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.. Figure 1. Overall prevalence of zoonotic bacteria isolated from dogs.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.. Figure 2. Antibiotic susceptibility profile of E. coli strains. (A) 1: gentamicin (CN), 2: penicillin G (P), 3: amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (AMC), 4: tetracycline (TE), (B) 5 : cefotaxime (CTX), 6 : ceftazidime (CAZ), 7 : streptomycin (S), 8 : cotrimoxazole (SXT), 9 : chloramphenicol.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.. Figure 3. Antibiotic susceptibility profile of S. aureus strains. (A) 1: gentamicin (CN), 2: erythromycin (E), 3: amoxicillineclavulanic acid (AMC), 4: tetracycline (TE), 5: penicillin G (P), (B) 6: streptomycin (S), 7: cotrimoxazole (SXT), 8: chloramphenicol (C), 9: cefotaxime (CTX), 10: ceftazidime (CAZ).
Fig. 4.
Fig. 4.. Figure 4. Agarose gel electrophoresis of amplified products for resistance genes in E. coli (A) Gene blaTEM (431bp): M: Molecular ladder; 1-12: Positive samples; 13: Negative control; B) Gene tetA (937 bp): M: Molecular ladder; 1-12: Positive samples; 13: Negative control; C) Gene strA-strB (580 bp); M: Molecular ladder; 1-5: Positive samples; 6: Negative control.
Fig. 5.
Fig. 5.. Figure 5. Agarose gel electrophoresis of amplified products for resistance genes in S. aureus (D) Gene blaZ (173 bp): M: Molecular ladder; 1-14: Positive samples; (E) Gene tetK (718 bp): M: Molecular ladder; 1-13: Positive samples; 14: Negative control; (F) Gene tetM (647 bp): M: Molecular ladder; 1-13: Positive samples; 14: Negative control.
Fig. 6.
Fig. 6.. Figure 6. Agarose gel electrophoresis of amplified products for virulence genes in E. coli (G) Gene fimH (508 bp): M: Molecular ladder; 1-13: Positive samples; 14: Negative control; (H) Gene kpsMT II (272 bp): M: Molecular ladder; 5,7-11: Positive samples; 1-4,6,12,13: Negative samples; 14: Negatixve control; I) Gene fyuA (880 bp): M: Molecular ladder; 1,2,6,9,10: Positive samples; 3-5,7,8,11-13: Negative samples; 14: Negative control.
Fig. 7.
Fig. 7.. Figure 7. Agarose gel electrophoresis of amplified products for gene eae in E. coli (570 bp) M: Molecular ladder; 9: Positive sample; 1-8,10-13: Negative samples; 14: Negative control.
Fig. 8.
Fig. 8.. Figure 8. Agarose gel electrophoresis of amplified products for virulence genes in S. aureus (J) Gene pvl (433 bp): M: Molecular ladder; 4-6,8,10: Positive samples; 1-3,7,9,11: Negative samples; 12: Negative control; K) Gene fnbA (643 bp): M: Molecular ladder; 1-5: Positive samples; 6: Negative control
Fig. 9.
Fig. 9.. Figure 9. Phylogenetic tree of the fimH gene of E. coli isolates and E. coli strains retrieved from GenBank. Blue-chipped strains are from this study, while non-chipped strains are from GenBank retrievals.
Fig. 10.
Fig. 10.. Figure 10. Phylogenetic tree of the tetK gene of S. aureus isolates and S. aureus strains retrieved from GenBank. Red-chipped strains are from this study, while non-chipped strains are from GenBank.
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