{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,13]],"date-time":"2026-05-13T09:16:12Z","timestamp":1778663772326,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,11]],"date-time":"2026-05-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1778457600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Veterinary Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Staphylococcus aureus is a common opportunistic pathogen in rabbits and may cause localized or systemic infections that affect animal health and farm productivity. The present study aimed to investigate the clinical evolution, pathological lesions, and antimicrobial susceptibility profile of S. aureus infections in rabbits raised under traditional extensive systems in Western Romania. A total of 251 rabbits from 11 holdings located in Arad, Timi\u0219, and Cara\u0219-Severin counties were evaluated through epidemiological investigation, clinical examination, necropsy, and bacteriological analysis. Samples were cultured on Brain Heart Infusion medium and 5% sheep blood agar, and isolates were identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption\/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using an automated system (VITEK 2, bioM\u00e9rieux) and interpreted according to EUCAST guidelines. Among the examined animals, 68 rabbits (27.1%) showed clinical lesions compatible with S. aureus infection. The most common manifestations included subcutaneous abscesses, otitis externa, rhinitis, mammary abscesses, pyometra, and dental abscesses. Necropsy revealed suppurative and septicemic lesions affecting multiple organs. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing indicated high resistance to penicillin (100%), tetracycline (76.5%), doxycycline (67.6%), and amoxicillin (63.2%). In contrast, florfenicol (69.1% susceptible), ciprofloxacin (61.8%), gentamicin (54.4%), and enrofloxacin (52.9%) showed better antimicrobial activity. The results confirm the clinical and microbiological relevance of S. aureus infections in rabbits raised under traditional conditions and highlight the need for improved biosecurity measures and rational antimicrobial use.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/vetsci13050466","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,13]],"date-time":"2026-05-13T07:44:26Z","timestamp":1778658266000},"page":"466","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Clinical, Pathological, and Antimicrobial Resistance Features of Staphylococcus aureus Infections in Rabbits Raised Under Extensive Traditional Systems in Western Romania"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Vlad","family":"Iorgoni","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Infectious Diseases and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences \u201cKing Mihai I\u201d from Timi\u015foara, 300645 Timi\u015foara, Romania"},{"name":"Doctoral School \u201cVeterinary Medicine\u201d, University of Life Sciences \u201cKing Mihai I\u201d from Timi\u015foara, Calea Aradului 119, 300645 Timi\u015foara, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Livia","family":"Stanga","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Discipline of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, \u201cVictor Babes\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timi\u015foara, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-9380-1985","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Paula","family":"Nistor","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Infectious Diseases and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences \u201cKing Mihai I\u201d from Timi\u015foara, 300645 Timi\u015foara, Romania"},{"name":"Doctoral School \u201cVeterinary Medicine\u201d, University of Life Sciences \u201cKing Mihai I\u201d from Timi\u015foara, Calea Aradului 119, 300645 Timi\u015foara, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2531-6469","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alexandru","family":"Gligor","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Infectious Diseases and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences \u201cKing Mihai I\u201d from Timi\u015foara, 300645 Timi\u015foara, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5859-5057","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Janos","family":"Degi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Infectious Diseases and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences \u201cKing Mihai I\u201d from Timi\u015foara, 300645 Timi\u015foara, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-9077-7939","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Bogdan","family":"Florea","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Doctoral School \u201cVeterinary Medicine\u201d, University of Life Sciences \u201cKing Mihai I\u201d from Timi\u015foara, Calea Aradului 119, 300645 Timi\u015foara, Romania"},{"name":"Department of Internal Medicine, University of Life Sciences \u201cKing Mihai I\u201d from Timi\u015foara, 300645 Timi\u015foara, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Razvan Grigore","family":"Cojocaru","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences \u201cKing Mihai I\u201d from Timi\u015foara, 300645 Timi\u015foara, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8913-4942","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ionica","family":"Iancu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Infectious Diseases and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences \u201cKing Mihai I\u201d from Timi\u015foara, 300645 Timi\u015foara, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-0153-5533","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Cosmin Horatiu","family":"Maris","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Forestry, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Technologies, University of Life Sciences \u201cKing Mihai I\u201d from Timi\u0219oara, 300645 Timi\u0219oara, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4207-473X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ioan Cristian","family":"Dreghiciu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Discipline of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences \u201cKing Mihai I\u201d from Timi\u0219oara, 300645 Timi\u0219oara, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7118-6488","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Viorel","family":"Herman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Infectious Diseases and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences \u201cKing Mihai I\u201d from Timi\u015foara, 300645 Timi\u015foara, Romania"},{"name":"Academy of Romanian Scientists (AOSR), Splaiul Independen\u021bei 54, 050094 Bucharest, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"137","DOI":"10.1016\/j.meatsci.2018.04.029","article-title":"Rabbit meat production and consumption: State of knowledge and future perspectives","volume":"143","author":"Cullere","year":"2018","journal-title":"Meat Sci."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"141","DOI":"10.21608\/ejah.2024.327086","article-title":"Studies on Staphylococcus aureus infection in rabbit farms","volume":"4","author":"Dawod","year":"2024","journal-title":"Egypt. 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