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Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus MRSA
Published on: February 9, 2011
Foods confiscated from non-EU flights as a neglected route of potential methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
David Rodríguez-Lázaro1, Jaime Ariza-Miguel2, Marta Diez-Valcarce3
1InstitutoTecnológicoAgrario de Castilla y León (ITACyL), Valladolid, Spain; Microbiology Section, Faculty of Sciences, University of Burgos, Burgos, Spain.
Abstract:
The emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in food-producing animals has provoked a great concern in the presence of MRSA in associated foodstuff. In this study, we have assessed for the first time the presence of MRSA in food confiscated from non-EU flights. We performed a search for MRSA among 195 food samples confiscated from passengers on flights from twenty-one non-EU countries in 2012 and 2013. One hundred and seventeen meat samples of diverse animal origin (including antelope, beef, chicken, duck, guinea pig, pork, rodents, and turkey), 75 dairy products (74 cheeses and 1 butter) and 3 eggs were analyzed. All S. aureus were studied by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. MRSA isolates were further characterized by multilocus sequence typing (MLST), SCCmec typing, and tested for the presence of Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) virulence factors. Overall, 66 food samples were positive for S. aureus (33.9%). Six S. aureus strains were MRSA (9.1%), all of them in flights from Bolivia (and 5 from the same passenger). Among methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) (60 out of 66S. aureus strains), 44.1% were resistant to penicillin, 10.2% to tetracycline, 8.5% were resistant to aminoglycosides (amikacin and tobramycin) and 3.4% exhibited the M phenotype. MRSA isolates were sensitive to all non-β-lactam antibiotics tested. SmaI-PFGE analysis provided 40 genotypes among the S. aureus isolates (three genotypes among the six MRSA). Five MRSA isolates belonged to ST8 and harboured SCCmec type IVc as well as PVL genes. One isolate belonged to ST1649, harboured SCCmec type IVc and tested negative for the presence of the PVL genes. In conclusion, in this study, we report for the first time the presence of CA-MRSA in food confiscated from non-EU flights: ST8/ST1649-MRSA-IV. These results confirm the illegal entrance of food as a neglected route of transmission as well as the dissemination of successful CA-MRSA lineages among countries via illegal foods. As a result, illegally imported food could play a role in the prevalence and evolution of MRSA clones in the community.
Insights
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was detected in food from non-EU flights, indicating a potential transmission route. This study identified community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) in illegally imported food, highlighting a neglected pathway for MRSA spread.
Area of Science:
- Food Safety
- Microbiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a growing concern in food-producing animals and associated food products.
- The presence of MRSA in food poses a risk to public health through foodborne transmission.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of MRSA in food samples confiscated from international flights originating from non-EU countries.
- To characterize the identified MRSA strains, including their genetic profiles and virulence factors.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 195 food samples (meat, dairy, eggs) from non-EU flights using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and antimicrobial susceptibility testing.
- MRSA isolates were further characterized by multilocus sequence typing (MLST), SCCmec typing, and Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) gene detection.
Main Results:
- Six of the 195 food samples (3.1%) tested positive for MRSA, all originating from flights from Bolivia.
- The MRSA isolates belonged to sequence types ST8 and ST1649, harbored SCCmec type IVc, and five isolates carried the PVL genes.
- Methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) strains showed resistance to common antibiotics like penicillin and tetracycline.
Conclusions:
- This study reports for the first time the presence of community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) in food confiscated from non-EU flights.
- Illegally imported food represents a neglected but significant route for the transmission and dissemination of MRSA clones globally.
- The findings underscore the need for enhanced surveillance and control measures for illegally imported food to mitigate MRSA spread.
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