Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 27, 2026

Genotyping of Staphylococcus aureus by Ribosomal Spacer PCR RS-PCR
08:51

Genotyping of Staphylococcus aureus by Ribosomal Spacer PCR RS-PCR

Published on: November 4, 2016

10.3K

Molecular Epidemiology of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Australian Veterinarians

Mitchell D Groves1, Bethany Crouch2, Geoffrey W Coombs1,3

  • 1School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia.

Plos One
|January 7, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains were identified in Australian veterinarians. Specific MRSA types were linked to equine and companion animal practices, suggesting links to antimicrobial use.

Area of Science:

  • Veterinary Medicine
  • Microbiology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) poses a significant threat in both human and animal health.
  • Understanding MRSA epidemiology in veterinary professionals is crucial for infection control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the molecular characteristics and antimicrobial resistance patterns of MRSA isolated from Australian veterinarians.
  • To determine associations between specific MRSA strains and veterinary specializations.

Main Methods:

  • Molecular typing including MLST, spa, SCCmec, dru, and PFGE.
  • Antimicrobial resistance genotyping and disk diffusion testing.
  • Statistical analysis to identify associations between MRSA types and practice types.

Main Results:

  • MRSA strains dominated by Clonal Complex (CC) 8 and Multilocus Sequence Type (ST) 22.
  • CC8 MRSA associated with equine practice (OR=17.5) and resistance to gentamicin/rifampicin.
  • ST22 MRSA associated with companion animal practice (OR=52.5) and ciprofloxacin resistance.

Conclusions:

  • Equine and companion animal veterinarians frequently carried distinct, multiresistant MRSA strains.
  • The findings suggest a potential link between MRSA prevalence in veterinarians and antimicrobial administration practices in different animal species.
  • MRSA ST398 was identified in a single pig practice veterinarian.

More Related Videos

Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus MRSA12:18

Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus MRSA

Published on: February 9, 2011

23.8K
Biosensor for Detection of Antibiotic Resistant Staphylococcus Bacteria14:04

Biosensor for Detection of Antibiotic Resistant Staphylococcus Bacteria

Published on: May 8, 2013

25.3K

Related Concept Videos

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance01:25

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within...
29
Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA01:25

Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA

Antibiotic resistance in bacteria arises when microorganisms evolve the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them or inhibit their growth, rendering once-effective treatments useless. This phenomenon, driven by genetic change and selection under antibiotic exposure, poses a profound threat to modern medicine. Mechanisms include drug-inactivating enzymes (e.g., β-lactamases), efflux pumps that eject antibiotics, mutations altering antibiotic targets, decreased drug uptake, and...
78
Staphylococcal Skin Infections01:29

Staphylococcal Skin Infections

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive coccus that resides harmlessly on the skin and mucous membranes of healthy individuals. When the skin barrier is breached, it can shift from a commensal to an opportunistic pathogen. This transition is facilitated by surface adhesins, such as clumping factor B and S. aureus surface protein G (SasG), which bind to structural proteins, including loricrin and cytokeratin, in the damaged epidermis. Protein A, another key factor, binds the Fc region of...
46
Modern Molecular Taxonomy01:29

Modern Molecular Taxonomy

Advancements in molecular biology have revolutionized the identification and characterization of bacteria, with multiple methods leveraging DNA sequencing for enhanced precision. As sequencing technologies improve and costs decline, these approaches are increasingly used in clinical, environmental, and evolutionary studies.Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) examines several housekeeping genes, essential chromosomal genes encoding cellular functions, to distinguish strains. Approximately...
833
Applications of Molecular Taxonomy01:20

Applications of Molecular Taxonomy

Molecular taxonomy has revolutionized the understanding and classification of bacteria, providing precise insights into their diversity, evolutionary relationships, and ecological roles. By utilizing molecular techniques such as DNA sequencing and fingerprinting, researchers have made significant strides in various fields related to bacterial studies.Resolving Taxonomic AmbiguitiesMolecular taxonomy has been instrumental in distinguishing closely related bacterial species initially thought to...
653