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Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
12:18

Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)

Published on: February 9, 2011

Common house spiders are not likely vectors of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Catherine Baxtrom1, Tara Mongkolpradit, John N Kasimos

  • 1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Midwestern University, 555 31st St., Downers Grove, IL 60515, USA.

Journal of Medical Entomology
|October 5, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Common house spiders do not carry methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). This study found no MRSA on spiders, suggesting they are not a source of these infections.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are increasing.
  • MRSA skin infections are sometimes mistakenly attributed to spider bites.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the hypothesis that spiders act as vectors for MRSA.
  • To determine if common household spiders are colonized with MRSA.

Main Methods:

  • Household spiders were collected from homes.
  • Spiders were photographed for identification.
  • External and internal microbial flora were cultured from collected spiders.

Main Results:

  • Over 100 spiders were collected and analyzed.
  • No Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA was detected on any spider.
  • A low number of microbial flora were isolated, with only one pathogenic species (Aeromonas spp.).

Conclusions:

  • Common house spiders are unlikely to be a source or vector for MRSA infections.
  • The association between spider bites and MRSA infections may be coincidental or misattributed.

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