title: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in pigs and farm workers on conventional and antibiotic-free swine farms in the USA.
abstract: Much uncertainty remains about the origin and public health implications of livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA). This study aimed to investigate the occurrence and prevalence of MRSA in general and LA-MRSA in particular in pigs and farm workers in five states. We collected nasal swabs from pigs and farm workers at 45 swine herds (21 antibiotic-free herds; 24 conventional herds) in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, North Carolina and Ohio. MRSA was isolated from 50 of 1085 pigs (4.6%) and 31 of 148 (20.9%) of farm workers. MRSA-positive pigs and people were clustered in four conventional swine farms in Iowa and Illinois. Based on genotyping, spa type t034, a common livestock associated variant, was predominant among both human and swine isolates. These results confirm the presence of LA-MRSA in pigs and swine farm workers in the USA, but the prevalence found is relatively low compared with European studies.
authors.affiliation: Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America. tara-smith@uiowa.edu
authors.forename: Tara C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Wondwossen A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Gebreyes
authors.forename: Melanie J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Abley
authors.forename: Abby L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.forename: Brett M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Forshey
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Male
authors.forename: H Wayne
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Bayleyegn Z
authors.initials: BZ
authors.lastname: Molla
authors.forename: Srinand
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sreevatsan
authors.forename: Siddhartha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thakur
authors.forename: Madhumathi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thiruvengadam
authors.forename: Peter R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Davies
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D058751:Livestock / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000382:microbiology*; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D014481:United States; D014886:Weaning
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents