A total of 838 staphylococcal isolates representing 19 different species were obtained from cattle, cats, dogs, ducks, guinea pigs, horses, mink, pigeons, pigs, rabbits, and turkeys. From these 228 (27.2%) isolates were shown to be resistant to tetracycline and to carry one or two of the tetracycline resistance (ter) genes tet (K), ter (L), tcr (M), or tct (O) with seven different distribution patterns. Additional resistances to one or more antibiotics were observed in 153 (67.1%) of the tetracycline resistant isolates. The tct (M) gene was found in 94.3% of the resistant S. intermedius isolates while the let (K) gene predominated in most of the other staphylococcal species irrespective of the host animal. The let (K) and tet (L) genes were located on plasmids while the let (M) and tet (O) genes appeared to be associated with the chromosome. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
