Abstract
BackgroundHitherto, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has not been detected in Swedish cattle. However, due to the report of mecC, a novel homologue to the mecA gene, there was reason to re-evaluate susceptibility results from strain collections of Staphylococcus aureus and test suspected isolates for the presence of mecC.FindingsBovine isolates of S. aureus with elevated minimum inhibitory concentrations of beta-lactams were retrospectively tested for presence of mecC. In four of the isolates mecC was detected.ConclusionIn Sweden, this is the first finding of MRSA in cattle and the first detection of MRSA harbouring mecC of domestic animal origin. MRSA in animal populations has implications as a potential reservoir with risk for spread to humans. Occurrence of MRSA among Swedish cattle appears still very limited.
Highlights
Hitherto, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has not been detected in Swedish cattle
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) first emerged as a problem in hospitals but is widely distributed in the community, the prevalence varies among European countries [1]
In order to investigate the presence of MRSA in dairy cows in Sweden, penicillinase-producing S. aureus isolates originating from milk samples sent to the Mastitis Laboratory, National Veterinary Institute, Uppsala, Sweden for routine bacteriology were screened for MRSA phenotype in 2010–2011
Summary
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has not been detected in Swedish cattle. In 2011 MRSA with a divergent mecA homologue, named mecC (formerly mecALGA251), was detected in milk samples from dairy cows in the UK and human * Correspondence: helle.unnerstad@sva.se Department of Animal Health and Antimicrobial Strategies, National Veterinary Institute, Uppsala SE-751 89, Sweden clinical samples in the UK, Denmark and Ireland [6,7].
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