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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

Prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococci on a farm: staff can harbour MRS when animals do not

G de V Aquino1, R P Maluta, F A de Ávila

  • 1Departamento de Patologia Veterinária, Laboratório de Bacteriologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias de Jaboticabal, Brazil.

Zoonoses and Public Health
|August 10, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococci (MRS) were not found in farm animals but were present in 31% of human staff. This suggests limited transmission between animals and humans on the farm.

Area of Science:

  • Veterinary Microbiology
  • Antimicrobial Resistance
  • One Health

Background:

  • Methicillin-resistant Staphylococci (MRS) pose a significant threat to both animal and human health.
  • Understanding the prevalence and transmission dynamics of MRS in environments with cohabiting animals and humans is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococci (MRS) in various animal species and human staff at a teaching and research farm.
  • To investigate the antimicrobial resistance patterns of isolated MRS strains.

Main Methods:

  • Collection of samples from dairy cattle, beef cattle, sheep, horses, pigs, goats, and human staff.
  • Screening for MRS using PCR to detect the mecA gene.
  • Antimicrobial susceptibility testing on confirmed MRS isolates against a panel of 18 antibiotics.

Main Results:

  • No methicillin-resistant Staphylococci (MRS) were detected in any of the animal samples (0%).
  • Four methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococci (MRCoNS) were isolated from human participants (31% prevalence).
  • No methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was identified in any sample.

Conclusions:

  • Methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococci (MRCoNS) were found in humans associated with the farm but not in the animals.
  • The lack of correlation suggests limited MRS transmission between humans and animals, potentially due to external selective pressures or insufficient interspecies transmission.
  • Further research is needed to elucidate the specific factors influencing MRCoNS presence and transmission in such settings.

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