Capsular Genotyping of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus  aureus (MRSA) from Human and Animal Sources Using  Duplex PCR

Authors

  • Shivali Khandelwal Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Biotechnology, College of Veterinary and Animal Science, Rajasthan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (RAJUVAS), Bikaner-334001, Rajasthan, India
  • Taruna Bhati Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Biotechnology, College of Veterinary and Animal Science, Rajasthan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (RAJUVAS), Bikaner-334001, Rajasthan, India
  • Vishal Yadav Department of Veterinary Gynaecology and Obstetrics, College of Veterinary and Animal Science, RAJUVAS, Bikaner-334001, Rajasthan, India
  • Sudesh Kumar Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Biotechnology, College of Veterinary and Animal Science, Rajasthan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (RAJUVAS), Bikaner-334001, Rajasthan, India
  • Reshma Dhruw Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Biotechnology, College of Veterinary and Animal Science, Rajasthan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (RAJUVAS), Bikaner-334001, Rajasthan, India
  • Brij Nandan Shringi Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Biotechnology, College of Veterinary and Animal Science, Rajasthan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (RAJUVAS), Bikaner-334001, Rajasthan, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.48165/ijvsbt.22.1.27

Keywords:

cap5K, cap8K, Capsular polysaccharide, Duplex PCR, MRSA, Staphylococcus aureus.

Abstract

Capsular polysaccharides, particularly types 5 and 8 encoded by the cap5K and cap8K genes, are key virulence factors in Staphylococcus  aureus, contributing to immune evasion through resistance to phagocytosis. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and  distribution of these capsule-associated genes among 78 methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolates obtained from various human  and animal sources in Western India. Duplex PCR targeting cap5K and cap8K was employed for genotypic characterization. Among the  isolates, 75 (96.15%) were typeable, while 3 (3.85%) were non-typeable (NT). The cap5K genotype was the most prevalent (44.87%),  followed by cap8K (26.92%), and dual gene presence was 24.36%. Notably, dual gene carriage was more common in human isolates  (50.00%), whereas cap5K alone predominated in animal isolates, particularly in unprocessed meat (60.00%) and animal pus (48.00%).  The NT strains were exclusively identified in animal pus samples. A Chi-square test revealed a statistically significant association between  sample type and capsule gene distribution (χ² = 17.87, p = 0.037). These findings highlight the dominance of cap5K in this region and  the influence of host source on capsule gene variation, underlining the importance of ongoing molecular surveillance to understand  the epidemiological and pathogenic dynamics of MRSA. 

 

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Published

2026-01-10

Issue

Vol. 22 No. 1 (2026): The Indian Journal of Veterinary Sciences and Biotechnology (IJVSBT) (Jan-Feb ) 2026

Section

Research Article

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Copyright (c) 2026 Indian Journal of Veterinary Sciences and Biotechnology

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How to Cite

Khandelwal, S., Bhati, T., Yadav, V., Kumar, S., Dhruw, R., & Shringi, B. N. (2026). Capsular Genotyping of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus  aureus (MRSA) from Human and Animal Sources Using  Duplex PCR. Indian Journal of Veterinary Sciences and Biotechnology, 22(1), 139-143. https://doi.org/10.48165/ijvsbt.22.1.27