Methicillin-Resistant and -Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus Sequence Type 398 in Pigs and Humans

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus sequence type 398 (ST398 MRSA) was identified in Dutch pigs and pig farmers. ST398 methicillin-susceptible S. aureus circulates among humans at low frequency (0.2%) but was isolated in 3 human cases of bacteremia (2.1%; p = 0.026). Although its natural host is probably porcine, ST398 MRSA likely causes infections in humans

Unexpected sequence types in livestock associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA): MRSA ST9 and a single locus variant of ST9 in pig farming in China

In October 2008 nine farrow-to-finish pig farms were visited in Shuangliu County in Sichuan Province, China. One farm was empty for one month but not cleaned after depopulation. Dust samples were collected at each farm and analysed for the presence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Dust samples from four farms were also analysed for the presence of methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA). On 5/9 farms MRSA was isolated and on 2/4 farms MSSA was isolated. On two farms, including the empty farm, no MRSA or MSSA could be detected. All MRSA isolates (n=43) belonged to spa type t899. MSSA isolates belonged to spa type t899 (n=12) and spa type t034 (n=2). From 4/9 farms the MRSA isolates of spa type t899 were assigned to multilocus sequence type (MLST) ST9 whereas on one farm the MRSA spa type t899 isolates belonged to a single locus variant of MLST ST9 (ST1376). MSSA isolates with spa type t899 belonged to MLST ST9 and the MSSA with spa type t034 belonged to MLST ST398. This is the first report on MRSA in pig farms in China and the first time that MRSA ST9 and a single locus variant of ST9 are detected in pig farms. This study shows that livestock associated MRSA is not restricted to clonal lineage ST398 as found in Europe and Northern America in commercial pigs but that other MRSA lineages are able to spread in livestock as well. The study confirms that livestock may act as a reservoir for MRSA

High prevalence of nasal MRSA carriage in slaughterhouse workers in contact with live pigs in The Netherlands.

Item does not contain fulltextLivestock-associated MRSA has been found in various animals, livestock farmers and retail meat. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and determinants of nasal MRSA carriage in pig slaughterhouse workers. Three large pig slaughterhouses in The Netherlands were studied in 2008 using human and environmental samples. The overall prevalence of nasal MRSA carriage in employees of pig slaughterhouses was 5.6% (14/249) (95% CI 3.4-9.2) and working with live pigs was the single most important factor for being MRSA positive (OR 38.2, P<0.0001). At the start of the day MRSA was only found in environmental samples from the lairages (10/12), whereas at the end of the day MRSA was found in the lairages (11/12), the dirty (5/12) and clean (3/12) areas and green offal (1/3). The MRSA status of the environmental samples correlated well with the MRSA status of humans working in these sections (r=0.75). In conclusion, a high prevalence of nasal MRSA carriage was found in pig-slaughterhouse workers, and working with live pigs is the most important risk factor. Exact transmission routes from animals to humans remain to be elucidated in order to enable application of targeted preventive measures.1 mei 201