title: First reporting of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) ST398 in an industrial rabbit holding and in farm-related people.
abstract: Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) has been described in food-producing animals and farm or slaughterhouse workers involved in the primary industrial production of swine, bovine and poultry. This communication describes the first case of LA-MRSA (ST398, spa types t034 and t5210) occurring in rabbits raised intensively for meat production and involving farm workers or their family members. In 2012-2013, in a study involving 40 rabbit industrial holdings in Italy, one farm was found to have rabbits colonized or infected with MRSA. Four farm workers and one of their relatives were found to be carrying MRSA. In this case holding, rabbits, people and the holding environment were further investigated and followed up by a second sampling five months later. MRSA was found in 48% (11/23) and 25% (15/59) of the rabbits carrying S. aureus at first and second samplings, respectively. Five months after first detection, some farm workers or family members were still MRSA carriers. Surface samples (2/10) and air samples (2/3) were contaminated with MRSA. Air samples yielded MRSA counts of 5 and 15CFU/m(3). MRSA from rabbits and people collected at first sampling were spa types t034 and t5210 belonging to ST398. The MRSA isolates from rabbits and persons tested at second sampling were t034 and t5210, but spa types t1190 and t2970 were also detected in MRSA isolates from rabbits. Tracing the epidemiological pattern earlier may prevent further spread of LA-MRSA in these food producing animals.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, via dell'Università 10, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy. Electronic address: fagnoletti@izsvenezie.it.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Agnoletti
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, via dell'Università 10, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mazzolini
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, via dell'Università 10, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy.
authors.forename: Cosetta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bacchin
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, via dell'Università 10, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bano
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, via dell'Università 10, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy.
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Berto
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Patologia Clinica, Ospedale Santa Maria di Cà Foncello, Treviso, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rigoli
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Patologia Clinica, Ospedale Santa Maria di Cà Foncello, Treviso, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Muffato
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Patologia Clinica, Ospedale Santa Maria di Cà Foncello, Treviso, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Coato
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, via dell'Università 10, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tonon
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, via dell'Università 10, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy.
authors.forename: Ilenia
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Drigo
mesh_terms: D000391:Air Microbiology; D000818:Animals; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D058751:Livestock / Q000382:microbiology*; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D058889:Molecular Typing; D011817:Rabbits; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification
keywords: Food producing animal; Livestock associated MRSA; Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA); Rabbit; ST398; Zoonoses