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Updated: May 3, 2026
Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus MRSA
Published on: February 9, 2011
Alarming proportions of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in wound samples from companion animals,
Szilvia Vincze1, Ivonne Stamm2, Peter A Kopp2
1Institute of Microbiology and Epizootics, Veterinary Faculty, Free University Berlin, Germany.
Abstract:
Staphylococcus (S.) aureus is an important cause of wound infections in companion animals, and infections with methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) are of particular concern due to limited treatment options and their zoonotic potential. However, comparable epidemiological data on MRSA infections in dogs, cats and horses is scarce, also limiting the knowledge about possible links to MRSA isolates from human populations. To gain more knowledge about the occurrence and genotypic variation of MRSA among wound swabs of companion animal origin in Germany we performed a survey (2010-2012) including 5,229 samples from 1,170 veterinary practices. S. aureus was identified in 201 (5.8%) canine, 140 (12.2%) feline and 138 (22.8%) equine swabs from a total of 3,479 canine, 1,146 feline and 604 equine wounds, respectively. High MRSA rates were identified with 62.7%, 46.4% and 41.3% in S. aureus of canine, feline and equine origin, respectively. Further genotyping including spa typing and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) revealed a comparable distribution of spa types among canine and feline MRSA with CC22 (47.6%; 49.2%) and CC5 (30.2%; 29.2%) as predominant lineages followed by CC398 (13.5%; 7.7%) and CC8 (4.0%; 9.2%). In contrast, the majority of equine MRSA belonged to CC398 (87.7%). Our data highlight the importance of S. aureus and MRSA as a cause of wound infections, particularly in cats and horses in Germany. While "human-associated" MRSA lineages were most common in dogs and cats, a remarkable number of CC398-MRSA was detected in horses, indicating a replacement of CC8-MRSA as the predominant lineage within horses in Germany. These data enforce further longitudinal epidemiological approaches to examine the diversity and temporal relatedness of MRSA populations in humans and animals to assess probable sources of MRSA infections. This would enable a sound risk assessment and establishment of intervention strategies to limit the additional spread of MRSA.
Insights
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is common in companion animal wounds in Germany. Canine and feline MRSA strains are similar, while equine MRSA is predominantly CC398, suggesting animal-to-human transmission risks.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Microbiology
- Epidemiology
- One Health
Background:
- Staphylococcus aureus is a significant cause of companion animal wound infections.
- Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) poses challenges due to limited treatment options and zoonotic potential.
- Limited epidemiological data exists on MRSA in dogs, cats, and horses, hindering understanding of human-animal transmission links.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and genetic diversity of MRSA in wound infections of companion animals in Germany.
- To compare MRSA genotypes across canine, feline, and equine populations.
- To identify potential links between animal and human MRSA isolates.
Main Methods:
- Survey of 5,229 wound swabs from 1,170 veterinary practices in Germany (2010-2012).
- Identification of S. aureus and MRSA through microbiological methods.
- Genotyping of MRSA isolates using spa typing and multilocus sequence typing (MLST).
Main Results:
- S. aureus was detected in 5.8% of canine, 12.2% of feline, and 22.8% of equine wounds.
- High MRSA rates were observed: 62.7% in canine, 46.4% in feline, and 41.3% in equine S. aureus isolates.
- Canine and feline MRSA predominantly belonged to CC22 and CC5 lineages, while equine MRSA was mainly CC398.
- CC398-MRSA was notably detected in horses, potentially replacing CC8-MRSA.
Conclusions:
- S. aureus and MRSA are prevalent causes of wound infections in German companion animals, especially cats and horses.
- Human-associated MRSA lineages are common in dogs and cats.
- The high prevalence of CC398-MRSA in horses indicates a significant animal reservoir and potential for transmission.
- Further longitudinal studies are needed to understand MRSA diversity, temporal dynamics, and human-animal transmission pathways for effective risk assessment and control strategies.
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