title: Occurrence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococci in surgically treated dogs and the environment in a Swedish animal hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether hospitalised dogs treated surgically may become culture positive for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Surgically treated dogs (n=45) were sampled for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus on admission, before and after surgery and at the time of removal of surgical stitches. The hospital environment (n=57), including healthy dogs in the veterinary hospital environment (n=34), were sampled for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Genetic variations among methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates were identified through detection of restriction fragment polymorphisms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No dogs developed a wound infection due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. However, there was a significant increase in the number of dogs carrying methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius after hospitalisation compared to admission (P<0·001). No methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from dogs, but was present in the environment. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius isolates were recovered from environmental surfaces and hospitalised animals, but not from healthy dogs. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius isolates representing nine different restriction endonuclease digestion patterns were found, with two of these occurring in both the environment and on dogs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dogs may contract methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius in association with surgery and hospitalisation. Resistant bacteria may be transmitted between dogs, staff and the environment. Dogs colonised with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius may be a source for hospital- and community-acquired infections.
authors: University Animal Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Bergström
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Gustafsson
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Leander
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Fredriksson
authors: U
authors: U
authors: Grönlund
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Trowald-Wigh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D004285:Dogs; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D005260:Female; D006762:Hospitals, Animal; D017053:Infection Control; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D057789:Staphylococcus intermedius / Q000187:drug effects; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary; D013548:Sweden