Abstract
Background: Human-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (HA-MRSA) has mainly been reported in South African pig and chicken farms. The prevalence of antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs), virulence factors (VFs), and multilocus sequence types (MLSTs) associated with HA-MRSA in cattle farms has not been reported. Consequently, this study characterised LA-MRSA and its spread from cattle farms into the environment. Method: Husbandry soil (HS), nearby river water (NRW), animal manure (AM) and animal drinking water (ADW) were collected on and around a cattle farm. Presumptive MRSA isolates were identified from these samples using CHROMagar media and genotyped as MRSA sequence types (STs), selected ARGs, and VFs, using polymerase chain reaction. An MLST-based dendrogram was generated to link the farm MRSA strains with those in a nearby river. Results: The prevalence of MRSA was 30.61% for HS, 28.57% for ADW, 22.44% for NRW, and 10.20% for AM. Isolates from HS harboured the highest number of resistant genes, with 100% for mecA, 91.66% for ermA, and 58.33% for blaZ. However, no ermC or tetM genes were detected. MRSA isolates from AM harboured the lowest number of resistant genes. Only sec and seq enterotoxins were found in all the assessed MRSA isolates. MRSA from the farm revealed six STs (ST80, ST728, ST1931, ST2030, ST3247, and ST5440); all of STs belonged to clonal complex 80 (CC80). An MLST-based dendrogram based on the concatenated sequences of MLST genes under the maximum likelihood criterion revealed four clades of amalgamated MRSA isolates from various livestock environmental matrices, including the NRW. Conclusion: The results suggest that livestock environmental matrices might be reservoirs of MRSA that could subsequently disseminate through runoff to pollute water resources. Therefore, continued surveillance of HA-MRSA in livestock environments is warranted.
Highlights
This study investigated the genetic characteristics of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) present in cattle farm environmental matrices (HS, animal manure (AM), and animal drinking water (ADW)) to track their spread into an environmental matrix, such as nearby river water (NRW)
The study showed the highest prevalence of MRSA (30.61%) in the Husbandry soil (HS) livestock environmental matrix, whereas the AM matrix showed the lowest prevalence of MRSA (10.20%)
These results suggest that farm soil and the water supplied to livestock are essential MRSA reservoirs in a cattle farm environment
Summary
It has been estimated that 1.8 billion people, mainly in developing countries, consume unsafe water; this does not exclude South Africa [3] Since it is a water-scarce country, many people living in this country, those residing in rural areas and informal settlements, depend on untreated river water for multiple purposes, such as bathing and drinking [3]. Based on statistical data gathered in 2018, 80.1% of the population lives in urban areas, 13.1% in traditional settlements (villages), and 5% live in informal housing or are informal settlers. Of these South Africans, 19%, around 3.8 million people, use potentially polluted untreated water or groundwater
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