Abstract
Currently, surveillance of livestock-associated meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) in humans in Europe is not systematic but mainly event-based. In September 2014, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) initiated a questionnaire to collect data on the number of LA-MRSA from human samples (one isolate per patient) from national/regional reference laboratories in European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) countries in 2013. Identification of LA-MRSA as clonal complex (CC) 398 by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was preferred, although surrogate methods such as spa-typing were also accepted. The questionnaire was returned by 28 laboratories in 27 EU/EEA countries. Overall, LA-MRSA represented 3.9% of 13,756 typed MRSA human isolates, but it represented ≥ 10% in five countries (Belgium, Denmark, Spain, the Netherlands and Slovenia). Seven of the reference laboratories did not type MRSA isolates in 2013. To monitor the dispersion of LA-MRSA and facilitate targeted control measures, we advocate periodic systematic surveys or integrated multi-sectorial surveillance.
Highlights
Staphylococcus aureus colonises the anterior nares of most domesticated animals and ca 30% of humans [1,2,3,4,5]
Livestock-associated meticillin-resistant S. aureus (LA-MRSA) poses a zoonotic risk, for those working in close contact with livestock [6]
The most widespread LA-MRSA lineage in Europe and North America is clonal complex (CC) 398 including multilocus sequence type (MLST) ST398, which is commonly associated with swine, but has been identified in cattle and poultry [5,8,11]
Summary
Staphylococcus aureus colonises the anterior nares of most domesticated animals and ca 30% of humans [1,2,3,4,5]. Livestock-associated meticillin-resistant S. aureus (LA-MRSA) poses a zoonotic risk, for those working in close contact with livestock [6]. Carriage of MRSA CC398 is common in individuals with frequent livestock contact, such as swine farmers and people living in areas with high livestock density [2,11]. The impact of this carriage on otherwise healthy persons appears to be low and LA-MRSA infections have a similar severity to that of other MRSA infections [2,11]
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