Determination of Staphylococcus İntermedius's exfoliative toxin isolated from healthy dogs and dogs with otitis externa

S. intermedius causing otitis externa include species which are known and frequently isolated. In addition S. intermedius can be found commensals as in mucous membrane of mouth, ear, nose, pharynx and anus of healthy dogs and can be isolated from there. Because of producing toxin and being superantigen, S. intermedius is an important zoonotic feature bacteria. The most important producing toxin which by S. intermedius is exfoliative toxin (siet). Aim of this study was to develop a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique for determinate of siet gene encoding exfoliative toxin in S. intermedius and to compare its presence ratio between S. intermedius isolates from healthy and dogs with otitis externa. We used 100 isolates (52 isolates from dogs with otitis externa, 48 isolates from healthy dogs) in this study. This isolates collected from ears of dogs which different breed, age and sex. Although 22 isolates (16 isolates dogs with otitis externa, six isolates healthy dogs) were coagulase positive staphylococci result from phenotypic and biochemical tests, bacterial growth was observed in 46 isolates of isolated from dogs with otitis externa. nuc genes of this 22 isolates were determinated with PCR technique and five isolates (four isolates from dogs with otitis externa, one isolates from healthy dogs) of this 22 isolates were genotypically verified which they are S. intermedius. After that siet gene encoding exfoliative toxin was determinated with PCR technique in this five isolates. Consequently, exfoliative toxin of S. intermedius causes otitis externa in dogs has proven based from determinating siet gene encoding exfoliative toxin in collected isolates from dogs. The reason for determinating siet gene from one heatlhy dog isolates believed to be caused by the course of the disease asymptomatic. Rapid and secure detection of staphylococci causing otitis externa in dogs and their virulence markers like siet gene will provide important data for clinical practice to manage the disease more effectively by means of treatment and preventation.