Staphylococcus aureus in Agriculture: Lessons in Evolution from a Multispecies Pathogen.

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Microbiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Staphylococcus aureus is a versatile pathogen infecting humans and animals.
• Its transmission between species is facilitated by agricultural practices and antibiotic use.
• Pathoadaptive lineages of S. aureus cause significant economic impact in livestock.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the epidemiology, pathophysiology, genomics, antibiotic resistance, and clinical aspects of S. aureus in livestock.
• To explore host adaptation and host specificity mechanisms.
• To highlight the One Health implications of S. aureus transmission and antibiotic resistance.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review of S. aureus in domesticated livestock.
• Analysis of whole-genome sequence data for insights into host adaptation.
• Examination of epidemiological and clinical data.

Main Results:

• S. aureus exhibits host-specific lineages that evolve over time.
• Cross-species transmission between livestock and humans occurs frequently.
• Antibiotic use in agriculture drives the emergence of antibiotic-resistant S. aureus (ABR S. aureus).

Conclusions:

• Close human-animal contact in high-density settings drives S. aureus evolution and transmission.
• The emergence of human-adapted ABR S. aureus from agricultural practices is a major concern.
• Balancing agricultural productivity with control of ABR S. aureus is a critical challenge.