Molecular epidemiological study of community-acquired methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) - an examination of commercially distributed meat as a possible vehicle for CA-MRSA

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus has occupied an important position in public health as a cause of food poisoning and hospital-acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA) infections. The spread of community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) infections has also recently become a concern. However, the sources of this infection remain unclear, and there are few reports of epidemiology information. In order to understand MRSA spread in the community, we investigated the distribution of MRSA strains in commercially distributed raw meat samples (n=305) and stool samples from outpatients with diarrhea (n=1,543) from the same meat distribution region in Oita Prefecture, Japan. 301 Staphylococcus aureus strains were isolated and 18 of them were MRSA (2 from chicken meat, 1 from duck meat, 1 from pork meat, and 14 from patients with diarrhea). All 18 MRSA strains were negative for Panton-Valentine leucocidin gene. In this study conducting a comparison of properties and a molecular epidemiological analysis of MRSA isolated from commercially distributed meat and diarrhea patient stools, the results suggest that commercially distributed meat could play a role in the prevalence of CA-MRSA in the community.