Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus in dogs and cats: an emerging problem?

Abstract

There is concern over transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) between animals and humans. The spread of hospital-acquired and community-acquired MRSA is a major challenge in human medicine. MRSA is rarely isolated from animals but methicillin resistance occurs in staphylococci that are more prevalent in animals. MRSA infections in animals are uncommon and most are associated with exposure to medical hospitals, extensive wounds, prolonged hospitalisation and immunosuppression. The risk to human health appears to be small but a survey of methicillin-resistant staphylococci in animals is required. Thorough investigation of possible zoonotic infections to establish linkage is encouraged. Medical and veterinary staff should appreciate that animals can carry MRSA, cooperate in eliminating infections and monitor animals in medical environments. Veterinary clinics should implement guidelines for dealing with MRSA. Responsible antibiotic use should minimise the spread of antibiotic resistance but a UK monitoring scheme is desirable.

Prevalence ofStaphylococcus aureuscarriage among dogs and their owners

“…Reported rates of canine carriage vary widely, but higher levels reported in early studies may be due to the inability to distinguish between S. aureus and S. intermedius, the staphylococcal species most frequently isolated from dogs [15,16]. Although <10 % of dogs may carry S. aureus [15], canine infections with MRSA have been reported [17,18].…”

“…Although <10 % of dogs may carry S. aureus [15], canine infections with MRSA have been reported [17,18]. Increasing concern about MRSA in the community has led to recommendations for surveillance, including carriage rates in healthy dogs and cats [15]. S. aureus has been isolated from several sites on dogs, including the anterior nares, skin and anal region, although most studies of carriage sites have focused on S. intermedius [19,20].…”

Prevalence, risk factors and multidrug resistance profile of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from bovine mastitis in selected dairy farms in and around Asella town, Arsi Zone, South Eastern Ethiopia

“…The first case of MRSA in veterinary species was identified in the milk of a cow with mastitis (probably of human origin) in 1972 (Duquette and Nuttall, 2004;O'Mahony et al, 2005). S. aureus is a significant cause of mastitis in cows and small ruminants (Vanderhaeghen et al, 2010;Unal et al, 2012).…”

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Food- Producing and Companion Animals and Food Products

“…These and other studies indicate that CC398 appears to be frequently shared between animals and humans and is capable of causing infections in both species [25,70,164]. Transmission of MRSA between animals and humans is not new, but the MRSA isolates, in most cases, represent an initial human-to-animal transmission [24,49,165,166].…”

“…The CC398 S. aureus isolate was more prevalent in nasal swabs of pig and catle farmers than of nonfarming human controls [22,23]. An examination of livestock-associated MRSA (LA-MRSA) in human case isolates in the Netherlands indicated an increase from 0% in 2002 to greater than 21% in mid-2006 [23] and 35% in 2009 [24]. In most European countries, CC398 remains the most commonly identiied type of LA-MRSA [15,[25][26][27].…”