Abstract
This prospective cohort study describes carriage of livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) in household members from 49 farrowing pig farms in the Netherlands (2010–2011). Of 171 household members, 4% were persistent MRSA nasal carriers, and the MRSA prevalence on any given sampling moment was 10% (range 7-11%). Working in the stables (of which 98% was MRSA-positive, prevalence ratio (PR) = 2.11 per 10 hours), working with sows (PR=1.97), and living with an MRSA-positive pig farmer (PR=4.63) were significant determinants for MRSA carriage. Significant protective factors were carriage of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) (PR=0.50), and wearing a facemask when working in the stables (37% decreased prevalence). All MRSA strains during the study period were known livestock-associated types. The bacteriophage φ3 was not found in household members. Transmission from pigs and the environment appeared to be important determinants; human-to-human transmission could not sufficiently be differentiated. Wearing a facemask when working in the stables and carriage of MSSA are potential interventional targets.
Highlights
Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA, multi locus sequence type 398) is a relatively new MRSA clade, first described in 2005 [1]
The results of this study provide targets for limiting the acquisition and spread of livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA)
Variation in MRSA prevalence and cross-sectional prevalence per sampling moment are shown in Fig 1b, the average MRSA prevalence was 10%
Summary
Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA, multi locus sequence type 398) is a relatively new MRSA clade (i.e. subtype coming from one ancestor), first described in 2005 [1]. The prevalence of LA-MRSA carriage in people working with livestock animals ranges from 20 to 63% [2,3,4,5,6,7,8], the prevalence in pigs and veal calves rises up to 75% [9]. In household members of livestock farmers, the prevalence varies from 4 to 16% [4, 10, 11]. Their determinants of carriage, as well as the exact roles of human-to-human transmission and the home environment are yet undetermined. This study aims to describe the dynamics of carriage of LA-MRSA in household members of pig farmers. The results of this study provide targets for limiting the acquisition and spread of LA-MRSA
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