Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
The prevalence of carriage of meticillin-resistant staphylococci by veterinary dermatology practice staff and their respective pets.
- Journal:
- Veterinary dermatology
- Year:
- 2010
- Authors:
- Morris, Daniel O et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Clinical Studies-Philadelphia · United States
Plain-English summary
This study looked at how often veterinary dermatology staff and their pets carry certain types of drug-resistant bacteria called meticillin-resistant staphylococci. Researchers tested samples from 171 staff members and their 418 pets, which included 258 dogs and 160 cats. They found that a small number of humans and pets had these bacteria, with some households having the same strain in both the person and their pet. However, the study did not find any clear patterns linking specific factors about the people or pets to the presence of these bacteria. Overall, the findings suggest that while some staff and pets can carry these bacteria, the connections between them are not well understood.
Abstract
It has been shown that people and pets can harbour identical strains of meticillin-resistant (MR) staphylococci when they share an environment. Veterinary dermatology practitioners are a professional group with a high incidence of exposure to animals infected by Staphylococcus spp. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of carriage of MR Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), MR S. pseudintermedius (MRSP) and MR S. schleiferi (MRSS) by veterinary dermatology practice staff and their personal pets. A swab technique and selective media were used to screen 171 veterinary dermatology practice staff and their respective pets (258 dogs and 160 cats). Samples were shipped by over-night carrier. Human subjects completed a 22-question survey of demographic and epidemiologic data relevant to staphylococcal transmission. The 171 human-source samples yielded six MRSA (3.5%), nine MRSP (5.3%) and four MRSS (2.3%) isolates, while 418 animal-source samples yielded eight MRSA (1.9%) 21 MRSP (5%), and two MRSS (0.5%) isolates. Concordant strains (genetically identical by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis) were isolated from human subjects and their respective pets in four of 171 (2.9%) households: MRSA from one person/two pets and MRSP from three people/three pets. In seven additional households (4.1%), concordant strains were isolated from only the pets: MRSA in two households and MRSP in five households. There were no demographic or epidemiologic factors statistically associated with either human or animal carriage of MR staphylococci, or with concordant carriage by person-pet or pet-pet pairs. Lack of statistical associations may reflect an underpowered study.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20409076/