Occurrence of Livestock-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
in Turkey and Broiler Barns and Contamination of Air and Soil Surfaces in
Their Vicinity
The emission of microorganisms, especially resistant bacteria such as
methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), from poultry farms is of
public interest, and its occurrence and relevance are controversially
discussed. So far, there are limited data on this issue. In this study, we
investigated the occurrence of livestock-associated (LA)-MRSA inside and
outside previously tested MRSA-positive poultry barns in Germany. In total,
five turkey and two broiler fattening farms were investigated four and three
times, respectively. In a longitudinal study during one fattening period,
samples were collected from animals, the animals' environment inside the barn,
including the air, and the barns' surroundings, such as ambient air and boot
swabs of ground surfaces at different distances from the barn. Moreover, a
cross-sectional study was carried out once inside the barns on five turkey and
four broiler farms during the last third of the fatting period. In the cross-
sectional study, LA-MRSA was detected in the air of most barns (7 of 9,
77.8%), as well as in many samples originating from animals, with detections
levels of 50 to 54% in broiler and 62 to 77% in turkey farms. In the
longitudinal study, LA-MRSA was found in the ambient air outside two turkey
barns and on the ground surface on the downwind side of many (44.4%) turkey
and broiler farms. The same spa types of isolates were observed inside and
outside the barns. Transmission of MRSA within poultry farms, as well as
emission via the airborne route, seems to be possible