Booth Id:
MCRO007
Category:
Microbiology
Year:
2018
Finalist Names:
Quinones, David (School: Colegio Bilingue Maria Auxiliadora)
Abstract:
Thirty - six strains of Staphylococcus aureus were isolated from the oropharynx mucous of pets. For this purpose, 40 samples were collected throughout oropharyngeal swab in dogs, cats and rodents from the areas of La Chorrera and San Miguelito in Panama. Special culture media such as mannitol salt agar were used for initial identification, Gram staining. Isolates were positive for hemolysis tests on blood agar and coagulase tests for final identification.
Finally a subset of 10 isolates taken at random was grown on ChromAgar MRSA medium with high methicillin resistance (9/10).
In conclusion the oropharynx of the pets constitutes a reservoir of S. aureus MRSA, which could be zoonotic agents.