toxins Article Distribution of Toxinogenic Methicillin-Resistant and Methicillin-Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus from Different Ecological Niches in Algeria Assia Mairi 1,2 , Abdelaziz Touati 1, Alix Pantel 3, Karima Zenati 1, Alex Yahiaoui Martinez 3, Catherine Dunyach-Remy 3, Albert Sotto 4 and Jean-Philippe Lavigne 3,* 1 Laboratoire d’Ecologie Microbienne, FSNV, Université de Bejaia, Bejaia 06000, Algeria 2 National Institute of Health and Medical Research INSERM U1047, University of Montpellier, 30900 Montpellier, France 3 Department of Microbiology, CHU Nîmes, University of Montpellier, 30900 Montpellier, France 4 Department of Infectious Diseases, CHU Nîmes, University of Montpellier, 30900 Montpellier, France * Correspondence:
[email protected] Received: 31 July 2019; Accepted: 21 August 2019; Published: 28 August 2019 Abstract: The diffusion of Panton–Valentine leukocidin (PVL)–positive methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) is a health problem in Algeria. The objectives of the study were to investigate the global distribution of methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) and MRSA isolates in different ecological niches in this country. In total, 2246 samples were collected from humans, livestock, wild animals, pets, food products and the aquatic environment, from 12 Algerian provinces. A total of 312 S. aureus were detected from 2446 samples (12.7%) in the screened niches. We observed the emergence of toxinogenic S. aureus representing 41% of the isolates. Among them, we noted the diffusion of ST80-IV CA-MRSA PVL + strains isolated in human, animals, and food and genetic diversity of MSSA PVL + isolates. This study suggests an alarming dissemination of MRSA-ST80 PVL + in both human and extra-human sources in Algeria.