Hybrid Illumina-Nanopore assembly improves identification of multilocus sequence types and antimicrobial resistance genes of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from Vermont dairy farms: comparison to Illumina-only and R9.4.1 nanopore-only assemblies.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in is a pressing public health challenge with significant implications for the dairy industry, encompassing bovine mastitis concerns and potential zoonotic threats. To delve deeper into the resistance mechanisms of , this study employed a hybrid whole genome assembly approach that synergized the precision of Illumina with the continuity of Oxford Nanopore. A total of 62 isolates, collected from multiple sources from Vermont dairy farms, were sequenced using the GridION Oxford Nanopore R9.

An observational study demonstrates human-adapted Staphylococcus aureus strains have a higher frequency of antibiotic resistance compared to cattle-adapted strains isolated from dairy farms making farmstead cheese.

Background: Staphylococcus aureus is a multi-host zoonotic pathogen causing human and livestock diseases. Dairy farms that make artisan cheese have distinctive concerns for S. aureus control.