Distribution of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius in clinical cases of dogs

Staphylococcus intermedius has been most common agent associated with dog diseases, such as pyoderma and otitis externa. Recently, S. schleiferi subsp. coagulans has been also detected in suppurative diseases of dog and the organism formerly known as S. intermedius is called as S intermedius group (SIG), consisting of S. intermedius, Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and Staphylococcus delphini. From a clinical point of view, S. pseudintermedius is emerged as the most significant species of the SIG. A total of 72 SIG tested were positive for the presence of SInuc gene specific to S. intermedius and 67 (93.1%) isolates were S. pseudintermedius and only 5 (6.9%) S. intermedius, differentiating on the basis of arginine dyhydrolase production. None of the strains was identified as S. schleiferi subsp. coagulans. As results, S. pseudintermedius was found to be dominant in SIG from dogs in Jeju.