title: Prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization in horses in Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia.
abstract: This study estimated the prevalence of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in nasal swabs of 458 horses in western Canada. The rate of colonization was 1.3% +/- 5.84% [95% confidence interval (CI)], a rate similar to those reported elsewhere. Colonization tended to be transient and seemed unrelated to stress or administration of antimicrobials. Five of the 6 isolates were Canadian epidemic MRSA-5, a human clone that appears to predominate in horses in North America. The other isolate was spa type 539 (t034), a sequence type 398 strain, and this is the first report of this clone in horses in North America. Surveillance is warranted because of the potential of MRSA to cause disease in horses and humans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tokateloff
authors.forename: Stephen T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Manning
authors.forename: J Scott
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Weese
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: Jamie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rothenburger
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stephen
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bastura
authors.forename: Sheryl P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Gow
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reid-Smith
mesh_terms: D000416:Alberta / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D001955:British Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006736:Horses; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000382:microbiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012525:Saskatchewan / Q000453:epidemiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015047:Zoonoses