Abstract
The increase of livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) causes a threat to human health. LA-MRSA can be transmitted from animals to animal caretakers, which may further spread MRSA to communities and health care facilities. The objective of this work was to study the efficacy of phage treatment in the eradication of LA-MRSA from healthy carrier pigs. A total of 19 MRSA -positive weanling pigs were assigned to a test (n = 10) and a control group (n = 9). A phage cocktail containing three Staphylococcus phages, or a control buffer was administered to the nares and skin of the pigs three times every two days, after which the phage and MRSA levels in nasal and skin swab samples were monitored for a three-week period. The sensitivity of the strains isolated during the follow-up period to the phage cocktail and each phage individually was analyzed and the pig sera were tested for antibodies against the phages used in the cocktail. The phage treatment did not cause any side effects to the pigs. Phages were found in the skin and nasal samples on the days following the phage applications, but there was no reduction in the MRSA levels in the sampled animals. Phage-resistant strains or phage-specific antibodies were not detected during the experiment. The MRSA load in these healthy carrier animals was only 10–100 CFU/swab or nasal sample, which was likely below the replication threshold of phages. The effectiveness of phage treatment to eradicate MRSA from the pigs could thus not be (reliably) determined.
Highlights
The host range of S. aureus-specific phages was analyzed with 92 livestockassociated Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (LA-MRSA) strains isolated one year earlier from the same pig farm [30]
The results showed that phages fPfSau02 and fPfSau03 had identical host ranges, both infecting 91 out of 92 tested strains (Supplementary Materials Table S1)
LA-MRSA, especially the strains belonging to CC398, can colonize several species of production animals and may spread in the human population by being transmitted, e.g., by animal caretakers and veterinarians
Summary
The global spread of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria jeopardizes modern healthcare as infections become more difficult and even impossible to treat. Many of these resistant bacteria are zoonotic, i.e., they transmit between humans and animals in both directions. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a well-known antibiotic-resistant pathogen causing both community- and healthcare-associated infections and outbreaks in healthcare facilities. In Europe, these livestockassociated MRSA (LA-MRSA) strains, mainly belong to clonal complex (CC) 398, and pose a threat to humans especially those working in close contact with colonized animals [6,7,8,9]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
