title: Low MRSA prevalence in horses at farm level.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Europe, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) belonging to the clonal complex (CC) 398 has become an important pathogen in horses, circulating in equine clinics and causing both colonization and infection. Whether equine MRSA is bound to hospitals or can also circulate in the general horse population is currently unknown. This study, therefore, reports the nasal and perianal MRSA screening of 189 horses on 10 farms in a suspected high prevalence region (East- and West-Flanders, Belgium).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only one horse (0.53%) from one farm (10%) tested positive in the nose. It carried a spa type t011-SCCmecV isolate, resistant to β-lactams and tetracycline, which is typical for livestock-associated MRSA CC398.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the region tested here, horses on horse farms seem unlikely to substantially contribute to the large animal associated ST398 MRSA reservoir present at intensive animal production units.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Anaesthesiology of Domestic Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Annelies
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Van den Eede
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martens
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Feryn
authors.forename: Wannes
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Vanderhaeghen
authors.forename: Urszula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Lipinska
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gasthuys
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Butaye
authors.forename: Freddy
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Haesebrouck
authors.forename: Katleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hermans
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D002353:Carrier State; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009666:Nose / Q000382:microbiology; D015995:Prevalence; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*