title: Prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in mammals of the Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Belgium.
abstract: Contrary to the numerous reports on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in domestic animals, only three articles concerning zoo animals are documented in the literature. A skin infection of an African elephant (Loxodonta africana) calf was most likely acquired from an infected caretaker. Another zoo detected MRSA in the rumen content of a mouflon (Ovis aries), and, in a third facility, it was reported in a fistulous wound at the coronary band of a digit of an Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis). In the present study, which lasted 13 months and involved 93 different individual mammals that belonged to 40 species and 19 families housed in the Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Belgium, this study reports the absence of MRSA in swabs of nostrils, skins, conjunctiva, vulva, abscess, and arm rests in public spaces. Samples were enriched overnight and inoculated on a selective chromogenic medium.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, K. Astridplein 26, B-2018 Antwerp, Belgium. francis.vercammen@kmda.org
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vercammen
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bauwens
authors.forename: Redgi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Deken
authors.forename: Jef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brandt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000836:Animals, Zoo; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D008322:Mammals; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*