Determination of some virulence factors in Staphylococcus spp. isolated from various clinical samples

The objectives of this study were to identify staphylococci isolated from different animal clinical samples, to examine some of the virulence factors in the isolates, to determine relationships between these virulence factors and coagulase positive Staphylococcus (CoPS)/coagulase negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) strains. A total of 180 strains of Staphylococcus spp. were isolated from bovine mastitis, dogs with otitis externa and chickens with various infections. The isolates were identified as S. aureus (29.4%), S.hyicus (16.7%), S. intermedius (3.9%), S. chromogenes (16.1%), S. lentus (13.3%). S. epidermidis (11.1%), S. simulans (7.8%) and S. haemolyticus (1.7%). The rate of positiveness for deoxyribonuclease (DNase) test, thermonuclease (TNase) test, presence of the capsule, slime and biofilm formation, hemolysis, and hemagglutination tests for CoPS strains were 42.2%. 43.3%. 53.3%. 77.8%. 74.4%, 58.9%. 46.7%, and for CoNS strains were 54.4%, 5.6%, 13.3%. 44.4%, 36.7%. 28.9% and 41.1%, respectively. The virulence factors which were investigated were determined CoNS and CoPS strains. Thus. it was thought that CoNS strains might be as dangerous as CoPS strains for both animals and humans.