Genotypic Characterization of Coagulase-negative Staphylococci Isolated from Sheep Milk in Slovakia

Hitherto very few reports are available presenting identification and molecular characterization of the coagulase negative staphylococci (CNS) from sheep milk in the subclinical stage of mastitis. Furthermore, very scanty data are available on the epidemiological status of CNS in different Slovak provinces. Milk samples from 54 sheep farms located in eastern Slovak region were screened. A total 240 CNS were identified with series of biochemical testes (STAPH-API) and subjected further for genotyping with the help of pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The most frequently occurring CNS species according the biochemical characterization were: S. epidermidis (36.3 %), S. caprae (21.3 %), S. hominis (6.6 %), S. chromogenes (6.3 %), S. xylosus (5.8 %), S. warneri (5.0 %) and S. capitis (4.6 %). Further PFGE-based characterization of these isolates revealed six pulsotypes of the S. epidermidis, two of S. caprae, three of S. chromogenes, nine of S. hominis, five of S. capitis and seven of S. xylosus. These results contribute to knowledge of the epidemiological situation of the CNS from the subclinical form of mastitis in Slovakia